Graphical Literacy with Andy Kirk (UK)

Nowadays more and more data and information is available. Besides that, techniques and tools to visualise information also have increased enormously. However, it is not evident for many people to communicate with data in an effective way. When do you choose a specific graph to visualise your information? How do you know what graphic is the most effective one to convince your audience? And how do you use color or symbols in the right way?

In this training you will get a comprehensive introduction to data visualisation and infographic design. We will challenge your existing thinking about creating and consuming visualisations. And we equip you with an appreciation of all the analytical and design choices available across the creative workflow.

We practice the various components in the creative process. Visual design is the focus of the training. Step by step we go through the design methodology. In each phase, there is a mix of theory and exercises. We look at various scenarios to visualise data, the editorial focus, the anatomy of an effective visualisation and the best tools to support your visualisation.

Course description

Based on various assignments, we focus on the design methodology, the effectiveness of visualisations on target groups and on various visual solutions. Inspiring you by broadening your visual vocabulary and graphical literacy is key.

The following topics will be covered over the two days of training:

• Overview of a process driven approach to your visualisation solutions
• The importance of contextual factors
• The importance of visualisation literacy
• The influence of an editorial approach to data-driven design
• Fundamental principles of good visualisation design
• Understanding the design anatomy of a data visualisation
• Colour theory and best practices
• The power of interactivity and animation
• The importance of annotating for assistance and insight
• The architectural considerations behind composing your work
• Overview of some of the most essential visualisation tools and resources

Trainer

Andy Kirk is a UK-based data visualisation specialist: consultant, trainer, author and researcher. He founded the website Visualisingdata, where a lot of resources and references can be found. Andy delivers workshops on Information Visualisation and Graphic Literacy all around the world. In 2012, he wrote his first book on data visualisation (Data Visualisation: a successfull design process). In 2016 he released his second book (Data Visualisation: a Handbook for Data Driven Design).