Participant Instructions
Welcome to the second annual CMU IronViz Challenge. In conjunction with Data Analytics Day, we encourage and inspire the broader data community of practice at CMU to participate. This challenge is modeled after the national Tableau IronViz competition. However, participants in the CMU IronViz Challenge are not limited to using Tableau. We encourage those using PowerBI and other data visualization tools to participate!
This year's theme is leveraging data analytics to improve operational effectiveness. Keeping with that theme, a common dataset from the CMU Schedule of Classes will be provided to all registered IronViz participants. Participants must use the provided dataset but are welcome to create additional derived fields using the dataset provided to support their data visualization.
All participants must register by Monday, May 17, using the IronViz 2024 Participant Registration Form. Participants may participate individually or in teams of up to three people. Participants can form their team, or request to be assigned to a team using the registration form.
Finalists will be selected to present and recreate their dashboards on Thursday, July 25, 2024, in front of the executive sponsors and a live audience. Based on their presentations, the finalists will compete for the grand prize. All participants will be recognized, and the prize winners will be announced at CMU Data Analytics Data on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
Information Session
If you could not attend the information session, the Zoom Recording (Passcode: e6X+mVRw) and Presentation are available for your reference. The following was covered in the session:
- an introduction and overview of the IronViz competition.
- explain details about the dataset that will be provided.
- explore different tools that contestants may use when creating their data visualizations.
- provide details about how to submit a visualization to the competition.
Resources
Data Visualization Design Guidelines
Refer to the CMU Branding and Data Visualization Guidelines for guidance in color and typography choices.
Digital accessibility guidelines as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and should be followed in all submissions. All dashboard developers should familiarize themselves with accessibility best practices such as maintaining color contrast between text and background colors, not using color as the only way to communicate information, and embedding alternative text or descriptive labels with images.
Tableau IronViz Gallery
Supervisor Message
Dear Supervisor,
Carnegie Mellon University’s IronViz Challenge, modeled after the national Tableau IronViz competition, is happening in July. This is an excellent professional development opportunity to showcase my data visualization and dashboard-building skills by telling a story with data, translating data findings to actionable insights, and not just rattling off numbers or sharing a spreadsheet.
This year's theme is leveraging data analytics to improve operational effectiveness. I plan to create a data visualization that tells a related story. The challenge criteria are broadly defined to encourage creativity and make it a fun experience.
There is a time commitment to create the submission before the June 21 deadline and to participate in the in-person event on July 25.
Data visualization, collaborative community building, and developing a data-informed decision culture are key university initiatives. This event will help to foster and achieve those objectives.
Please allow me the time to participate and contribute to this valuable effort. You can visit the CMU IronViz Challenge page for additional details.
Thank you for your consideration,
Scoring
Finalists will be selected based on the initial scoring round using the rubric below. Participants selected to advance to the final round will present their data visualization to the executive sponsors and recreate it in front of a live audience. Executive sponsors will select the prize winners, who will be announced at Data Analytics Day.
Story Telling (30%)
- Communicates insights and trends.
- Engages audience with compelling narrative using easily understood visualizations.
- Interactive visualizations are easy to navigate and follow a clear sequence.
- Titles, subtitles, captions, callouts, etc., communicate the key takeaways.
- The design is clear, consistent, and aesthetically pleasing to the audience.
- Consistent visual vocabulary (fonts, sizes, color palettes, chart types, etc.) is used throughout the visualization.
Data Accuracy (30%)
- Data visualization tells an accurate story based on the data.
- Conclusions are presented credibly and convincingly.
- Data is not misrepresented or skewed.
- Aggregations and breakouts account for dataset structure and reach accurate conclusions.
- Filters, subsets, comparisons, etc., are clearly defined and communicated to the audience.
Design, Standards, and Digital Accessibility (30%)
- Follows the minimum CMU design guidelines for DASH.
- Ensures users, including those with visual disabilities, can access the content effectively.
- Color contrast maintains a minimum 4.5 ratio.
- Minimum 11 font size.
- Color is not the only method used to communicate differences.
- Alternative text is provided where possible.
- About the Team page provides an introduction of the team members and submission.
Overall Impression (10%)
- Visualization provides a cohesive insight to help executive leaders plan for future classes and classroom scheduling.
Accepted File Formats
Tableau
Submit your entry using a Tableau Packaged Workbook file (.twbx) that includes both the data visualizations and the underlying source data.
PowerBI
Submit your entry using a PowerBI Exchange file (.pbix) that includes both the data visualizations and the underlying source data.
Other Tools
If you have a data visualization using another software tool, please contact Matthew Hoolsema or Alexis Parker to determine the file format for your entry.
Questions
Please contact Matthew Hoolsema or Alexis Parker with questions about the IronViz challenge. Are you looking to join a team? Complete the Signup Sheet, and we'll help match you with a great team!