New York generates extraordinary traces of itself: millions of records about transit, trees, housing, 311 calls, cultural life, noise, air quality, migration patterns, and more. In the right hands, these datasets become portraits, arguments, interfaces, and invitations to understand the city in new ways.

This course treats data visualization as a form of public storytelling. How can we translate complex civic systems into interactive experiences for broad audiences? Students will work hands-on with NYC Open Data to create polished, browser-based visual narratives that draw from information design, journalism, UX design, and creative coding.

Whether you're a designer looking to build a portfolio piece, a beginner curious about interactivity, or someone excited about translating civic data into meaningful visual form, this course offers a supported, structured, and highly creative environment to bring an NYC-based data story to life.

*The course is ideal for independent, curious learners who are ready to stretch their abilities and build a substantial project with support.*

Format:

• Live online classes (Zoom), weekly.
• Studio course; combination of short lectures, demos, labs, and structured critique.
• Dedicated time for guided work sessions and Q&A

Workload Expectations: 

• 2–6 hours of independent work outside of class per week, depending on ambition and familiarity
• You determine the scope: simple exploratory prototypes or ambitious interactive tools—both are welcome

Students will leave with:

• A polished, portfolio-ready interactive data visualization based on a New York City dataset.
• A documented process book or case-study write-up
• Reusable data, design, and code templates for future work

Learning Goals:

• Understand core principles of data visualization, interaction design, and visual storytelling
• Learn to work with civic datasets, including cleaning, structuring, and interpreting Data
• Understand foundational concepts in data ethics, including bias, representation, and the responsibilities of visualizing civic data.
• Build interactive prototypes using accessible tools 
• Explore how design decisions shape narrative, clarity, and audience understanding
• Practice critique, iteration, versioning, and documentation of design process

Prerequisites:

• Coding familiarity is highly recommended (javascript at a conceptual level).
• If you’re new to code, that’s okay too! As long as you’re comfortable learning by doing, following demos, and experimenting with simple interactive examples.

Required Materials / Equipment

• A computer capable of running basic design tools and light-to-moderate web interactions
• Stable internet connection 
• Blank Index Card deck (45+)