HSE727 Assessment Task 3 – Data Visualisation

This assignment presents you with an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of some basic and fundamental principles of data visualisation. The principles I am referring to, are Edward Tufte’s principles (Module 4.2). You will use these principles to critique and improve existing data visualisations of sport information. You don’t have to restrict your critique to Tufte’s principles alone, you can also use the advice provided in the reading in module 4.2 and your own good judgement.

Instructions

This table allocates to you, two sports data visualisations that are the subject of your assignment.

1. Evaluation
   1. Purpose - For each data visualisation, provide your interpretation of its purpose. Answer this based on the text that accompanies the data visualisation and the data that is presented. Clarify who you think the audience is, the general public, people with very good knowledge of the sport or someone else? Identify any uncertainty or confusion you have about the purpose of the data visualisation.
   2. Critique – Now that you have established the purpose of the data visualisation, has the author used the “right” charts/diagrams to present their data? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the visualisation? What is missing, what is confusing? Do they provide enough context to allow a fair interpretation of the data? Use Tufte’s principles, the advice from Lacome (Aspetar) and your own good judgement, to critique the data visualisation. Expand your critique to the overall layout of the visualisation and the design aesthetic.
   3. Comparison – Compare the visualisations? They are about the same sport, is one more effective than the other, why/why not?
2. Enhancement - Based on the limitations you have identified, make suggestions about how the data visualisation could be improved. You can do this by simply writing about it, and or you can use an annotated image of the data visualisation (you won’t lose marks if you don’t provide an annotated image). Think about feasible improvements that may correct breaches of Tufte’s principles.
3. Professional development – Imagine that you are working as a performance analyst, in sport (or in another field). You have the need to generate engaging data visualisations, but you don’t have the tools or the skills. Find a data visualisation software tool (an application you install or a cloud based application) other than Tableau. It only needs to be software that allows you to make good quality charts, it does not need to create that artwork that is included in some of the examples in this assignment. Provide a brief justification of why you think it would be suitable for making data visualisations. Provide a brief description of how you would learn to use this software. Where are the learning resources? How many learning hours would it take to become a proficient user?

Form of Assignment

• A written assignment of up to 1500 words. Use the allocation of marks in the rubric to guide the word count for each section of your assignment.
• Use a common 11 point font with 1.5 line spacing
• Submitted as a MS Word or PDF file type
• For questions 1 and 2, separate your answers so it is clear which answer relates to which data visualisation
• Reproducing an image of the data visualisations in your assignment is not a requirement, so you won’t lose marks if you don’t include it. However, you can include it/them if you like.
• Referencing is not essential. If you quote text from another source, you must provide a complete reference. You may use any common referencing style.

This assessment is worth 30% of your overall mark for this unit.

This assessment is due at 8:00 PM on Wednesday Oct 6, 2021

Submit the assignment to the correct assignment folder on CloudDeakin