Data visualisation

Learn how to match your type of data to the correct graph, table or map, and how to design these visuals so that your ‘data story’ has the most effect.

Course topics

  • The need for data visualisation – why visualise?
  • Finding your ‘data story’ – what are we trying to say?
  • Choosing the visual – match the visual to the message
  • Things to avoid – practical advice
  • Designing the visuals, including:
    • colour
    • accessibility
    • font choices

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, participants should be able to:

  • create graphs that
    • are intuitive and require little reader effort
    • are visually appealing
    • contain data that best communicates the overall ‘story’
    • make the data ‘shine’
    • uphold principles of scientific publishing
  • know what to look for in a proposal or publication on data
  • understand the harm that can come from misrepresenting data.

Learning method

This interactive course includes lectures, group discussions, exercises and comprehensive course notes.