CMSC 110 (Introduction to Computing)

Fall 2012 - Section 2

Assignment #7

Part 1:  Due by 4:00 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Part 2:  Due by 4:00 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Task:  Identify a dataset of interest to you and develop an interactive visualization using the process outlined below. Follow the steps of acquiring, cleaning, filtering, mining, representation, and interaction to create a visual sketch of the data.

Part 1: Identify the dataset. Acquire it, clean it, and load it into Calico.

Part 2: Develop the interactive visualization.

Steps:

1. Acquire the data set as one or more files.
   • Data sources are plentiful: web sites, technical articles, or collect your own data. Find something that interests you.
   • Make sure the data set is not too small, that is, make sure it has some statistical significance.
2. Clean up the data file so that it is readable by a computer program.
   • This may mean replacing comments with special numeric codes, inserting/removing data value delimiters, etc.
3. Filter the data down to the portion that interests you.
   • Remove unwanted columns, headers, footers, etc.
4. Mine the data set for interesting properties.
   • Find the aspect(s) of your data set that you want to highlight using your visualization.
   • Apply any statistical methods or numerical analysis that are appropriate.
5. Select a visual representation that best illustrates your data set and implement it.
   • Draw from all the graphical techniques that you have learned this semester.
6. Refine your visualization.
   • Modify your program until it communicates your message at a glance.
7. Make your visualization interactive and/or animated.
   • Examples include a popup that shows extra information when hovering over an object, animated objects that change shape, size or color to represent data in a time series, etc.

What to Hand in:

For Part 1: (By 4:00 pm December 4, 2012)

Copy the beginnings of your visualization to Dropbox. This should include your data file after it has been cleaned, and a program that loads the data into appropriate data structures, but does not visualize it yet. Write a brief description of the domain of the dataset, its relevance, and what a visualization of it will illustrate. Include this description as comments at the top of your source code file.

For Part 2: (By 4:00 pm December 11, 2012)

Copy the completed sketch program and data files to your Dropbox folder. Include the standard header in your source code. Write a paragraph/description and include it in the header of the main source code file for your sketch. This paragraph must include instructions on how to use the interactive component(s).

Hints:

• Keep it simple at first.  Start with something basic, get it working, and then build upon it.
• START EARLY!

Requirements:

• Your data file, ready to be imported into your program.
• All necessary code to load the data from your data file, and convert it into usable data types.
• Storage of all converted data into appropriate data structures.
• An appropriate visualization of the loaded data.
• At least one interactive feature that further expands upon the visualized data.
• Make sure that proper headers and comments appear in your sketch file.