BDS Toolbox: Data Visualization

Use the navigation bar above or the links below to find everything you need for this module.

📋 Overview

  • Instructors: Abe Hofman, Annie Johansson
  • Dates: September 29th - October 11th, 2026
  • Format: Lectures + Tutorials
  • Main Topics:
    • Effective data visualization
    • ggplot
    • Working with AI in a data viz workflow
    • Git & GitHub for collaboration

In this module, you will learn a wide set of data visualisation tools for both static and interactive visualizations. We will also focus on why you should look at your data and what makes a good visualization. You will work with real, open data from DUO (the Dutch education executive agency) to design visualizations from.

🗓️ Schedule

When & Where Topic Materials & Assignments
Session 1. Tuesday 29/9 15.00-18.00
GS.11 		Fundamentals of DV
ggplot recap
Intro to Assignments 		Read: DV ch. 1; ch. 3
Worksheet: ggplot recap
Session 2. Friday 2/10 12.00-15.00
HvA 		Exploratory vs. Explanatory viz
Interactive viz
Using AI for exploratory viz 		Worksheet: ggplotly
Worksheet: working with AI, pt. 1
Deadline DV Assignment 1 (individual) + DV Assignment 2, Part 1 (group) – Sunday 4/10 23.59
Session 3. Tuesday 6/10 15.00-18.00
GS.11 		Advanced DV principles
Using AI for explanatory viz
Explanation of Pitches and Work on Assignment 2 		Worksheet: working with AI, pt. 2
Read: DV ch. 8
Session 4. Friday 9/10 12.00-15.00
HvA 		Pitches
Evaluations
Q&A
Deadline DV Assignment 2, Part 2 (group) – Sunday 11/10 23.59

📝 Assignments

Assignment 1 (individual): replicate a plot with ggplot, and make an interactive plot with plotly.

Assignment 2 (group): the final project. In Part 1, you choose a research question and explore the data; in Part 2, you create a final data visualization and report.

You’ll be working with Git and GitHub for the group project (Assignment 2). Refer here for instructions on how to set up your project repository.

🚨 Deadlines

  • Assignment 1 (individual) – Sunday 4/10 23.59
  • Assignment 2, Part 1 (group: research question & exploratory plot) – Sunday 4/10 23.59
  • Assignment 2, Part 2 (group: final report) – Sunday 11/10 23.59

Late submissions will be graded with a max. grade of 6, if submitted within 24 hours of the deadline. Submissions later than that will not be graded.

📚 Book

socviz.co

Helpful extra resources

💡 How to Use This Site

  1. Browse the slides before and after class.
  2. Access the assignments, worksheets, and extra resources.
  3. Practice workflows with Git. If you are interested in how to setup a GitHub repository and work with Quarto documents, you can clone the repository and explore the files on your own computer.