In this assignment, you will now create a digital visualization for the same small dataset from A0 and provide a rigorous rationale for your design choices. You should in theory be ready to explain the contribution of every pixel in the display. You are free to use any graphics or charting tool you please – including Microsoft Excel, Tableau, Adobe Illustrator, PowerPoint/Keynote, or Paint. However, you may find it most instructive to create the chart from scratch using a visualization package of your choice (see the resources page for a list of visualization tools.)
Every 10 years, the census bureau documents the demographic make-up of the United States, influencing everything from congressional districting to social services. This dataset contains a high-level summary of census data for two years a century apart: 1900 and 2000. The data is a CSV (comma-separated values) file that describes the U.S. population in terms of year, reported sex (1: male, 2: female), age group (binned into 5 year segments from 0-4 years old up to 90+ years old), and the total count of people per group. There are 38 data points per year, for a total of 76 data points.
Note: This is the same dataset from A0. But, this time, we’re providing you the raw data directly with exact, precise population counts for each age group and year. Your submission should reflect these accurate values rather than the rounded values from A0.
Dataset: CSV
Source: U.S. Census Bureau via IPUMS
Start by choosing a question you’d like a visualization to answer. This question could be the same as the one you chose for A0, or you can pick a new question if you would like.
Design a static visualization (i.e., a single image) that you believe effectively answers that question, and use the question as the title of your graphic. We recommend that you iterate on your ideas from your A0, but you may also start from scratch and/or draw on inspiration from other sources.
Provide a short writeup (approximately 4-5 paragraphs) describing your process and design decisions, and how A0 informed your final visual.
While you must use the data set given, you are free to transform the data as necessary. Such transforms may include (but are not limited to) log transformations, computing percentages or averages, grouping elements into new categories, or removing unnecessary variables or records. You are also free to incorporate external data as you see fit. Your chart image should be interpretable without consulting your writeup. Do not forget to include a title, axis labels or legends as needed!
In your writeup, you should provide a rigorous rationale for your design decisions. As different visualizations can emphasize different aspects of a data set, your writeup should document what aspects of the data you are attempting to most effectively communicate. In short, what story are you trying to tell?
Document the visual encodings you used and why they are appropriate for the data and your specific question. These decisions include the choice of visualization (mark) type, size, color, scale, and other visual elements, as well as the use of sorting or other data transformations. How do these decisions facilitate effective communication? Just as important, also note which aspects of the data might be obscured or down-played due to your visualization design.
Your writeup should also include a paragraph reflecting on how A0 may or may not have influenced your design for this assignment. For example, you could discuss to what extent sketching helped inform your final design. What aspects of your A0 sketches did you keep or discard, and why did you make those decisions? Or, how did A0 help you change course for A1?
The assignment score is out of a maximum of 10 points. Historically, the median score on this assignment has been 8.5. We will determine scores by judging both the soundness of your design and the quality of the write-up. We will also look for consideration of the audience, message and intended task.
We will use the following rubric to grade your assignment. Note that rubric cells may not map exactly to specific point scores.
| Component | Excellent | Satisfactory | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Question | An interesting question (i.e., one without an immediately obvious answer) is posed. The visualization provides a clear answer. | A reasonable question is posed, but it is unclear whether the visualization provides an answer to it. | Missing or unclear question posed of the data. |
| Mark, Encoding, and Data Transforms | All design choices are effective. The visualization can be read and understood effortlessly. | Design choices are largely effective, but minor errors hinder comprehension. | Ineffective mark, encoding, or data transformation choices are distracting or potentially misleading. |
| Titles & Labels | Titles and labels helpfully describe and contextualize the visualization. | Most necessary titles and labels are present, but they could provide more context. | Many titles or labels are missing, or do not provide human-understandable information. |
| Design Rationale | Well crafted write-up provides reasoned justification for all design choices and discussion of impact of A0. | Most design decisions are described, but rationale could be explained at a greater level of detail. | Missing or incomplete. Several design choices or impacts of A0 are left unexplained. |
| Creativity & Originality | You exceeded the parameters of the assignment, with original insights or a particularly engaging design. | You met all the parameters of the assignment. | You met most of the parameters of the assignment. |
This is an individual assignment. You may not work in groups. Your completed assignment is due on Monday 3/1, 11:59 pm EST.
Submit your assignment on Canvas. We expect your visualization and writeup to be included in a single file (use .pdf). Please make sure your image is sized for a reasonable viewing experience – readers should not have to zoom or scroll in order to effectively view your submission!