Interactive Visualization and Data Analysis

Organisation:: Donau-Universität Krems
Ort, Bundesland, Land:: Krems, Lower Austria, Austria
Typ:: Part-time
Certificate:: MSc
Duration:: 5 Semester

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Programme

During the last decade capabilities to both generate and collect data and information have seen an explosive growth. Advances in scientific and business data collection (e.g. from sensors, space satellites, or finance, retail and production devices) have generated a flood of data and information. Advances in data storage technologies, such as faster, higher capacity and cheaper storage devices, better database management systems and data warehousing technology have enabled us to collect "mountains" of stored data. Such volumes of data and information clearly overwhelm the traditional manual methods of data analysis such as spreadsheets, ad-hoc queries, or simple diagrams. New methods and tools which can intelligently and (semi-) automatically transform data into information and, furthermore, synthesize knowledge are the subject of the emerging field of “Visual Analytics“.

The basic idea of Visual Analytics is the integration of the outstanding capabilities of humans in terms of visual information exploration and the enormous processing power of computers to form a powerful knowledge discovery environment. Both visual as well as analytical methods are combined intertwinedly to fully support the knowledge discovery process. Most importantly, the user is not merely a passive element who interprets the outcome of visual and analytical methods but the core entity who drives the whole process.

The master program Interactive Visualization and Data Analysis (five semesters, part-time) is based upon years of experience in teaching and handson research at the Department of Information and Knowledge Engineering (ike) in cooperation with industry and academia. On an international scale, our curriculum is a unique program of continuing education that focuses on Visual Analytics as the main topic. It is a central concern of the Department of Information and Knowledge Engineering (ike) to offer attractive and innovative postgraduate education in order to reflect the current state-of-the-art of science and technology in Visual Analytics research and practice. Our aim is to provide cutting-edge knowledge and skills for highly motivated and qualified students, employees and executives, which enables them to master the information overload by interactive visualization and data analysis.

Univ.-Prof. Silvia Miksch, MSc, PhD
Head of the Department of Information and Knowledge Engineering (ike)

Target audience

Our master program for postgraduate Visual Analytics education focuses on:

Persons who prepare materials for decision makers
Designers and developers of:
- user interfaces,
- interactive visualization systems,
- data analysis systems,
- and decision support systems

of different data- and information intensive business and scientific domains (e.g. business intelligence, market analysis, strategic controlling, security and risk management, health care and biotechnology, automotive industry, environment and climate research, as well as other disciplines of natural, social, and economic sciences).

Emphases/Curriculum

Topics
Introduction and Overview
"Visual analytics is the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces." 1 You will be introduced to the fields of interactive visualization and data analysis and get an overview of application domains and illustrating examples.

Contents

Overview of Application Domains
Visual Analytics Science and Technology

Perception, Cognitive Processes and Human Concerns
When designing software and hardware for humans it is essential to know about the human side of the system. You will learn how human visual as well as other kinds of perception work and what the physical and psychological characteristics and constraints of human perception and cognition are.

Contents

Human Perception
Cognitive Processes and Human Concerns
Case Studies on Users and Tasks

Analytical Reasoning
Analysts have to apply analytical reasoning on a combination of evidence and assumptions in order to draw conclusions. You will be introduced into the field of the reasoning process, as well as an understanding of underlying cognitive and perceptual principles, to provide appropriate interactions that allow analysts to have a true discourse with their information.

Contents

Overview of the analytical reasoning process
Collaborative Visual Analytics and Reasoning

Data, Information and Knowledge
You will learn about data representation, information derived from data, and how data must be transformed from their original raw state into a form or representation that is suitable for manipulation. Data representation and transformation are the foundations of Visual Analytics methods.

Contents

Data Representation, Information, Knowledge
Syntax, Semantics
Ontologies

Visualization and Interaction
"Solving a problem simply means representing it so that the solution is obvious." This statement sounds simple and straightforward albeit it is dauntingly difficult to achieve. You will get to know principles, methods, and techniques to visualize data and information in order to facilitate analytical reasoning and make decisions based on better information. Highly interactive and flexible interfaces are equally important for an active discourse of a human user with the computer environment.

Contents

Visual Design Principles
Effective Design of Tables and Charts
Data & Information Visualization
Computer Graphics Basics
Scientific Visualization
Interaction and Active Discourse
Human-Computer Interaction
User Interface Design
Concepts of the Visualization Process
Applications and Case Studies

Statistical and Analytical Methods
You will get to know an important set of statistical, mathematical and analytical approaches and their features. You will learn how they can be adopted to analyze huge amounts of data, to find relevant information, and to gain previously unknown knowledge.

Contents

Statistical Methods
Analytical Methods
Knowledge Discovery
Data Mining
Machine Learning

Development, Evaluation and Usability
To create systems that are usable, intuitive, and useful involves interdisciplinary methods and practices. You will learn about design and development methods from an engineering as well as usability perspective and get to know practices on how to evaluate your systems.

Contents

Design and Development of Visual
Analytics Applications
User-Centered Design
Usability Engineering
Evaluation Methods

Production, Presentation and Dissemination
Get the right information to the right people in the right format at the right time. Systems that are used in crisis situations by first responder units have to be designed and managed entirely different from ones applied for example in a pharmaceutical lab for drug discovery. You will learn about ways of achieving this from a technological, contextual as well as organizational point of view.

Contents

Visual Communication
Production Technologies and Management
Dissemination Contexts and Dynamics
Privacy, Security, and Legal Aspects

Systems, Tools, and Applications
You will get to know software and hardware systems available on the market that are ready to be used out of the box. Furthermore, you will be introduced to toolkits and libraries that can be used as a basis for building customized Visual Analytics Systems.

Contents

Software and Hardware for Visual
Analytics Systems
Toolkits and Libraries

Scientific Working, Writing and Presentation
Working in science and research involves certain habits and practices that will be introduced in this module. You will learn how to write reports, papers, and theses to publish your results and you will learn how to give compelling and persuasive presentations in order to communicate your work to your audience in person.

Contents

Scientific Working
Scientific Writing
Presenting

Practical relevance

One of the most important challenges of the emerging information age is to effectively utilize the immense wealth of information and data acquired, computed and stored by modern information systems. On the one hand, the appropriate use of available information provides large potential to facilitate technological progress and business success. On the other hand, there exists the severe danger that users and analysts easily get lost in irrelevant, or inappropriately processed or presented information; this problem is generally called the information overload problem. Visual Analytics is an emerging research discipline concerned with technology to make the best possible use of huge amounts of data and information in a wide variety of applications. Visual Analytics denotes the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces. 1 The main goals are to make complex information structures more comprehensible, facilitate new insights, and enable knowledge discovery; human abilities, users’ needs and tasks, analytical methods as well as visualizations and interaction techniques are central issues to assist in situations where complex decisions need to be made. A key feature is the interdisciplinary approach of our MSc program, enabling us to examine and discuss several topics in the perspectives of different scientific disciplines.

Admission/Entrance requirements

Total fees approx.:	14900

Admission Requirements Admitted individuals must either hold an academic degree in related subjects or other qualification which can be regarded as an equivalent thereof, i.e. activities similar to those of a university graduate or four years of relevant professional experience and a minimum age of 24. In all cases, candidates are subject to an application and admission procedure.

Languages
Language(s) of instruction:	English
Going abroad:	not possible

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Organisation

Danube University Krems is facing up to the social challenge of lifetime learning: established in 1995 it is still the only university in Europe that has specialised in postgraduate continuing education. Enthusiasm for the qualified and innovative involvement with the complex social, organisational and technical challenges presented by our society in the new Europe is what motivates the students, the teaching staff and everyone else working at Danube University Krems.

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Singular experience in academic continuing education throughout Europe

Focus on job-related and personal requirements of students

Scientific basis

Practice-oriented education and research

Internationality

Interdisciplinarity

Highest Quality Standards

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Study in Krems

Krems is a traditional educational town - with 30 schools and high schools attended by more than 10,000 students. Therefore, Krems’ environment is richly furnished with restaurants, hotels, guest-houses and students’ hostels, as well as leisure-time and cultural facilities. The idyllic environment of the Wachau, its exquisite wines and numerous sports facilities contribute in significant measure to the quality of life of students at the Danube University Krems.

Historic buildings and architecture from the middle-ages in the parts of Krems and Stein show for a meaningful past. The community, already mentioned in 995 as "urbs chremisa", was once the center of salt and wine trading and is one of the oldest towns in the country.

Strolling through the medieval alleyways, tasting wine in closed-down monasteries, relaxing in a café by the street, and amusedly smiling in the museum of caricatures: art and culture can be experienced and lived in Krems. The folk music festival "Glatt & Verkehrt" (Smooth & Traffic), the Lower Austrian Danube Festival, the film program of the Austrian Film Gallery, and the exhibitions at the internationally renowned Art Center Krems are the highlights of the town’s annual event calendar. As a member of the art-mile in Krems, the Danube University of Krems is a regular part of the local art and culture scene.

The Danube University of Krems is an ideal starting point for jogging, cycling, playing squash and tennis, or simply for taking a walk through the vineyards. Oarsmen and swimmers can pursuit their hobbies in the nearby Danube River.