The main educational goal of the project is to provide students with the fundamental skills needed to analyze and communicate complex human-related phenomena through the graphical visualization of open data.

The group-based project consists of six main phases carried out throughout the duration of the Data Visualization course: brainstorming and project ideation, collection and processing of open data, development of preliminary visualizations, implementation of final data visualizations, preparation of the project’s web page, and online publication.

All projects aim to analytically address research questions defined in advance by the students with the support of the instructor.

Throughout the project, students acquire the theoretical and methodological knowledge required through dedicated lectures focusing particularly on the fundamentals of visual mapping and visual perception. They also receive technical guidance through sessions introducing and deepening the use of major software tools for developing diagrams and maps.

Students receive feedback on their projects from the instructor on a biweekly basis. Additionally, the course includes a peer-review session where all student groups exchange feedback and critically discuss their ongoing work.

The final project is presented during the exam session. All student groups are asked to critically evaluate their own work and suggest potential improvements. Evaluation criteria for the final projects include the relevance of the research questions, the accuracy of the data processing workflow, the clarity of the graphical representation, and the effectiveness in communicating the analytical results.

The students’ data visualization projects are published online and can be accessed through the course website.