The National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) will be holding its thirteenth residential training event for post-doctoral researchers in Manchester. There are twenty five fully funded (travel, accommodation) places for early career researchers from across the social sciences. This Autumn School has been designed to challenge you to think deeply about the topic of visualisation going beyond the typical “how to” training course. Participants will engage in exercises and will be encouraged to think beyond the orthodox in designing visualisations.
The core of the autumn school will be training provided by Andy Kirk the renowned data visualisation expert; http://www.visualisingdata.com/about/. Around this there will be a keynote speakers each of whom will provide a different perspective on engaging with visualisation and the visual field. In this, a key aim will be to explore how innovative quantitative and qualitative uses of visualisations in research can help us to see society, culture, economics and history in new ways.
Days 2 and 3 of the autumn school will be structured around a proven design workflow. Across the sessions delegates will build up, stage by stage, a detailed understanding of all the different aspects of decision-making that goes into any data visualisation or infographic design work. The content is delivered through a blend of teaching, discussion, and group practice. The practical exercises vary in nature from evaluating work, conceiving ideas, identifying best-fit solutions and exploring data.
The approach will not be framed around specific tools or applications. Throughout the session there will be references for some of the most common, contemporary technologies but the emphasis is on the underlying craft, regardless of your tools or skills.
Materials will be issued digitally (eg. Dropbox/USB flash drive) covering all teaching content, exercise files and useful resources. Attendees are required to bring fully-charged laptops to use as a convenient workspace for the session. The only software requirements are Excel, a browser and pdf reader, no other technical or skill-based prerequisites exist.
By the end of the Autumn School, participants will:
Understand the range of elements that a good visualisation needs to take into account; clarifying the differences between good and bad visualisation design.
challenge their existing thinking about creating and consuming visualisation works, helping to
Appreciate the wide range of analytical and design options, including chart types, features of interactivity, annotation, colour applications, and composition.
Manage an efficient workflow giving you the confidence to make astute choices based on sound principles and practical guidelines.
Be inspired to elevate your ambitions, by broadening your visual vocabulary and exposing you to latest techniques and contemporary resources for developing your data visualisation capabilities.
Be able to place visualisations within broader developments in the social sciences
Make use of visualisations to raise new questions about the social worlds we live in.
Please note that there is an application procedure for this event, the deadline is at 4pm on 17th August, we are aiming to have decisions sent out by the 31st August.
Who is it for?
Priority given to early career researchers from across the UK social science community who are employed on research-led.
There will be a small number of places available for final year PhD students and those who have submitted their thesis but not as yet been examined.
methods@manchester are co-sponsors of this event.
