Human-centric visualization discusses the data visualization methodology from the perspective of the user. The first part of the course builds up the knowledge about perceptual processing of biological vision, for better understanding why a certain visualization is effective or not. In the second part we discuss visual-arts-inspired algorithms for expressive visual depiction of the structure. Next, automated techniques are discussed that perform visibility management of densely populated, complex, and cluttered scenes as well as basic concepts of intuitive visual mapping specification, automated 3D camera navigation, and algorithms for textual labeling in interactive 3D visualization. The final part of the lecture is concerned with describing the principles of experimental user research, how to design and analyze user studies for evaluating visualization techniques.

The lectures are given by the lecturer and by the students themselves in a form of a journal club. Parallel to lecturing, students will choose a larger programming project in the area of data visualization that they will complete over the course of the semester.