cs5984: Information Visualization

Homework #1:  Visualization tools

Due:  Mon Feb 5, 5pm, my office 619 McBryde

The goal of this homework is to experience and practice the use of visualization tools, accustom yourself to seeing data in new ways, discover something new in a data set, and think critically about visualizations.

Your assignment is to find some interesting data, explore it using some visualization tools, and write a short report.  This is an individual assignment.

Data:  Find some data of interest to you.  The data should be large and complex enough that visualization is needed.  It should have at least 1000 items and at least 6 attributes.  However, if your favorite data set doesn't meet this requirement, talk with me to see if it is acceptable anyway.  If you draw a total blank on locating some interesting data, please see me and I will point you to some.

Visualization:  Now, load your data into at least 2 of the visualization tools below and use them to examine your data.  Each tool has documentation about its data format. Microsoft Excel is helpful for manipulating your data into the right format.  The visualization tools are installed on the machines in McBryde 104a. You should have Hokie card access soon.  The tools you may choose from are:

• Spotfire (by Spotfire):  McB 104a
• Advizor/SeeIt (by Visual Insights):  McB 104a
• Table Lens (Eureka by Inxight):  McB 104a
• Parallel Coordinates:  applet (you may use an alternate implementation if you have one)
• If you would like to use some other tool, please check with me.

Report:  Write a 2-3 page report about your findings and about the visualization tools you used:

• Describe your findings (1-2 pages):  What did you learn about your data?  Anything new, unexpected, surprising?  What relationships exist in the data?  Did you find answers to any questions you had about the data?  Imagine yourself as a data analyst, and present your case to me.  Use pictures to back up your claims (e.g. screenshots of visualizations -- Alt-PrintScrn captures a screenshot that can be pasted into word processors etc).
• Compare and critique the visualizations (1-2 pages):  Which visualizations helped you answer which questions better?  Why?  Strengths, weaknesses, tradeoffs, etc.

What to hand in:

• Print your report and bring to my office.
• Post your report on the web, send me the URL.