Advanced Data Visualisation for Healthcare
Transform complex health data into clear, evidence-based visual stories that support better decisions in healthcare.
Duration
3 weeksWeekly study
2 hours100% online
How it works
Advanced Data Visualisation for Healthcare
Create effective healthcare data visualisations
Transform complex health data into visualisations that actually help people make better decisions.
This course explores design fundamentals, chart selection, interactive dashboards, and visual storytelling tailored to healthcare contexts.
You’ll learn core concepts and design clear, accurate, and engaging visuals supporting evidence-informed decision-making.
Understand visualisation theory, design, and perception
Explore core data visualisation concepts including data types, aesthetic mappings, coordinate systems, scaling, and colour use. You’ll learn how human perception shapes what people notice first and how to use visual hierarchy effectively.
You’ll critically evaluate chart types, learning to spot misleading designs and choose formats that genuinely support statistical analysis.
Learn practical techniques from static charts to interactive dashboards
Develop practical visualisation skills using survey data, time series, demographic, and financial data. You’ll move from designing high-quality static graphics and infographics to creating interactive dashboards and applications.
You’ll design visuals that are accurate, usable, and engaging for busy health and social care audiences.
Explore data storytelling and real-world applications
Learn visual storytelling and analytical communication to turn complex analyses into coherent visual narratives. You’ll apply advanced techniques to real-world healthcare contexts, integrating multiple data sources.
You’ll build awareness of accessibility, professional interface standards, and emerging technologies for career development in data visualisation.
Syllabus
Week 1
Fundamentals of visual data science
Data visualisation theory fundamentals
This opening activity introduces scientific principles distinguishing effective visualisation from decoration, explains how the brain processes visual information and shows how these processes improve communication.
Chart taxonomy and selection criteria
This activity provides guidance on selecting visualisations based on data relationships and communicative intent, illustrating how different chart types most effectively communicate underlying patterns and insights.
Aesthetic variations and their impact on readability
This activity examines how seemingly minor variations in colour, scale, spacing, and visual emphasis can dramatically alter interpretation and comprehension.
Quiz
Quiz to wrap up the week.
Week 2
Designing and creating clear visualisations
Core principles of effective visualisation design
Learn core design principles for clear and impactful visualisations.
Colour theory and accessibility
Here you will learn to use colour for categories, values and emphasis, select the right scale, and design accessible visualisations to all audiences.
Introducing technical guidelines
Here learn how to select appropriate file formats, software tools, and technical approaches to create, share, and present clear data visualisations.
Software to produce your own charts
Here we will introduce widely used software that will allow you to create clear, engaging, and professional visualisations.
Week 3
Professional standards and visual communication
Industry design standards
Week 3 explores what makes visuals look professional. You’ll learn practical rules from Apple’s Human Interface guidelines and US government data visualisation standards, then apply them to build clearer, more persuasive charts.
Building effective visual communication
We will discover why some messages captivate audiences while others, despite containing identical information, fall flat and forgettable.
Advanced techniques for memorable communications
We'll tackle the advanced techniques that separate memorable presentations from forgettable ones. We'll explore the art of infographic design - transforming complex data into compelling visual narratives that audiences remember.
Interactive visualisation and user experience
Explore how interactive visualisations and user experience principles help users navigate data, understand patterns, and make informed decisions.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Develop an in-depth understanding of visualisation theory and design, including perceptual foundations, chart selection, aesthetic judgement, accessibility, and professional interface standards.
- Design and produce effective static and interactive data visualisations, from charts, slides, and infographics to dynamic web-based applications with the Shiny framework, with a focus on usability, the user experience, and on engagement.
- Demonstrate how to analyse and visualise complex data, including survey data, demographic breakdowns, time series, financial and transactional datasets while also considering bias, uncertainty, and data limitations.
- Apply advanced visualisation techniques to real-world analytical contexts, integrating a range of data sources and visual formats to support interpretation, and communication amongst professionals and within healthcare.
- Demonstrate competence in using data visualisation for data storytelling, awareness of emerging technologies, and understanding of career pathways and professional practice in advanced data visualisation.
Who is the course for?
This course is ideal for health and social care professionals like pharmacists, nurses, GPs, practice managers, healthcare policymakers, and NHS staff who work with complex data and want to present insights clearly for colleagues, patients, and decision-makers.
What software or tools do you need?
The following tools would be useful if you want to try some of the visualisation examples as you follow the course.
Jamovi, a free and open statistical spreadsheet package which can be used on Windows, MacOS and Linux, or online via a browser.
Microsoft Excel - if you have an existing Microsoft account
Who will you learn with?
My research examines how data and ubiquitous technologies are transforming the way we conduct research and live in the digital age.
Jason is currently a Research Fellow in Digital Health at the University of Bath, and his work primarily focuses on developing and evaluating public health interventions.
Who developed the course?
University of Bath
The University of Bath is one of the UK’s leading universities both in terms of research and our reputation for excellence in teaching, learning and graduate prospects.
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| Choose the best way to learn for you! | $349.99 for one year Automatically renews | $54/one-off payment | Free |
| Develop skills to further your career | Fulfill your current learning need | Try this course - with limits | |
| Access to this course | tick | tick | Limited to 3 weeks |
| Access to 1,000+ courses | tick | cross | cross |
| Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
| Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
| Certificate when you're eligible | Digital only | Printed and digital | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Buy this course
$54/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Subscribe & save
$349.99 for one year
Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Start learning today
Free
Try this course - with limits
- Limited to 3 weeks
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) | |||
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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