Welcome to the COMET Lab Data Visualization Competition at Indiana University Indianapolis! Each semester, a data visualization competition is held by our data science lab to showcase the outcomes of our projects and highlight the creativity and skills of our students. This competition is a chance for the work to be brought to life using tools like Tableau, Python, D3, Dash, and Plotly, and for the analysis and software development projects to be presented interestingly.
The Objective of the Competition
The main goal of the Data Visualization Competition is to enhance the quality and appeal of the outputs created by our students. The goal is for impactful visuals to be created that effectively communicate findings to the general public and our partners, such as the Polis Center, which supports these projects.
By organizing this competition, the following aims are hoped to be achieved:
- The outcomes of data science and software development projects are showcased.
- The quality of project presentations is improved using data visualization techniques.
- Skills in creating user-friendly and visually appealing web pages are developed.
- Teamwork and collaboration across disciplines are encouraged.
General Competition Guidelines
- Project Presentation: Each group that is working on a project within the data science team is required to create a dedicated webpage. This webpage should show the project objectives, the visualizations created, and the insights that were drawn from the analysis.
- Visualization Tools: Visualizations should be created by students using various tools, such as Tableau, Python, D3, Dash, and Plotly.
- Webpage Requirements: In addition to the final project repository, each team is required to create a webpage that highlights their work. The webpage should include visualizations that explain the reasoning behind the project, its goals, and the results that were achieved.
Timeline and Process
- The competition is held twice a year:
- Spring Semester: Held on the Tuesday of the last week in April.
- Fall Semester: Held on the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week in November.
- In the week leading up to the competition, time will be given to each project team to finalize their webpage, visualizations, and content.
- Support Team: Support will be provided to each team by a UX designer who will make the webpage more intuitive and user-friendly. In addition, a web developer will assist in adding content to the COMET Lab website, working closely with the UX designer and the data analysis team members.
Awards and Recognition
During the competition, teams will be evaluated based on the quality, creativity, and clarity of their visualizations and web pages. Certificates for first, second, and third place will be awarded by the university to recognize the achievements of the top three teams.
Why Participate?
Participation in the Data Visualization Competition is an opportunity to:
- Hands-on experience in data visualization and web development is gained.
- Collaboration with team members and experts in UX and web design is encouraged.
- Skills in presenting data in an engaging and impactful way are developed.
- Recognition from the university for outstanding work is received.
Evaluation Rubric
Please download and go through the document here to understand the requirements for each web page that going to be created for this competition.
We look forward to seeing the creative and informative visualizations that will be brought to life through this competition!
