Data Visualisation

Initial Thoughts

-Because of links with other interests and hobbies at the time of this project I am keen on adapting navigational charts into my designs. I'm not sure of the theme or ideas behind the project yet but there are plenty of starting points to take from a navigation chart.

Positions
Distances
Depth
Tide height
Tide Streams
Lights
Warnings

The current weather is also used in conjunction with the charts.

-Navigation charts are themselves a type of data visualisation however they are on the very far edge of functional data visuals, similar to graphs and bar charts. They are designed to be as functional as possible. They are also multi-layered with different levels of information. They effectively act as a work sheet to go through all the steps of planning a route from A to B. This is a large calculation and takes in all the information you can get from the chart and various other sources.

-From the initial look through examples of data visualisations there were some clear types of visuals. Some clean, unclutered and containing a few useful bits of data. Often using simple shapes lines and clean fonts to show at a glance the full story.

-Some showed a huge range of data that merged into an unreadable yet interesting image. On closer inspection the miniture details within the image would unfold in sporadic lumps. Patters will emerge but there importance might be lost in the scale of information.

-Some show data visualised using graphics and images. Breaking away from the scientific feel of computer generated images.

-And then there are also pieces realiesed in 3d real space. In the examples below there are charts made using slices of log and floating balloons on strings. These add a material quality to the work, making them tangable can add a lot of power to data.