Unit 2

We’ll begin by adding interactivity directly to your graphics. Using tools like plotly, you’ll create plots that allow users to hover, zoom, and inspect specific data points. Instead of simply presenting a result, your visualizations will invite exploration—revealing additional detail without cluttering the display. You’ll think carefully about what information should be visible at a glance and what should be revealed on demand.

From there, we’ll introduce animation with packages like gganimate. Rather than compressing change over time into a single static image, you’ll learn how to show motion directly—highlighting trends, transitions, and patterns as they unfold. Along the way, we’ll discuss when animation clarifies a story and when it distracts from one.

Once you’re comfortable building interactive and animated visuals, we’ll zoom out to a larger question: how do we organize multiple views of data into a coherent experience? That’s where dashboards come in. You’ll learn how to design both static and dynamic dashboards using Quarto—structuring content across pages, arranging components intentionally, and guiding your audience through your analysis.

Finally, we’ll introduce reactive elements using Shiny. Instead of deciding what your audience sees, you’ll give them control. Sliders, checkboxes, and other inputs will allow users to filter data, adjust parameters, and update tables or visualizations in real time. You’ll begin thinking not just like a data analyst, but like an interface designer—considering usability, clarity, and purposeful interaction.

By the end of the unit, you’ll bring everything together in a fully developed dashboard that combines static design, dynamic visuals, and user-driven interactivity. Rather than presenting a single narrative, you’ll build a tool that allows others to explore the data for themselves.