Comments for The Outliers http://the-outliers.com a critical look at data visualisation, information aesthetics, and design Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:32:34 +1100 hourly 1 Comment on Postdecode – Australian Zipdecode by andrea http://the-outliers.com/2009/11/postdecode-australian-zipdecode/comment-page-1/#comment-33 andrea Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:32:34 +0000 http://the-outliers.com/?p=101#comment-33 thanks, Thomas!! thanks, Thomas!!

]]> Comment on Postdecode – Australian Zipdecode by thsutton@gmail.com http://the-outliers.com/2009/11/postdecode-australian-zipdecode/comment-page-1/#comment-32 thsutton@gmail.com Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:30:47 +0000 http://the-outliers.com/?p=101#comment-32 I'm glad you found the data useful! It's interesting that even in a country as sparsely populated as Australia, you can still recognised the general outline. Cheers, Thomas I’m glad you found the data useful! It’s interesting that even in a country as sparsely populated as Australia, you can still recognised the general outline.

Cheers,
Thomas

]]> Comment on Information Aesthetics: Closer to Art or Design? by Style Geek Productions :: Big Style for Small Businesses :: Dallas, TX | Business Beauty Wisdom http://the-outliers.com/2009/10/information-aesthetics-closer-to-art-or-design/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Style Geek Productions :: Big Style for Small Businesses :: Dallas, TX | Business Beauty Wisdom Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:22:34 +0000 http://the-outliers.com/?p=91#comment-31 [...] Information Aesthetics: Closer to Art or Design? | The Outliers [...] [...] Information Aesthetics: Closer to Art or Design? | The Outliers [...]

]]> Comment on Postdecode – Australian Zipdecode by uberVU - social comments http://the-outliers.com/2009/11/postdecode-australian-zipdecode/comment-page-1/#comment-30 uberVU - social comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:06:34 +0000 http://the-outliers.com/?p=101#comment-30 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by shiraleeana: it's zipdecode for australia: postdecode: http://bit.ly/2i7HtC veeeeeery inspired by @ben_fry !!... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by shiraleeana: it’s zipdecode for australia: postdecode: http://bit.ly/2i7HtC veeeeeery inspired by @ben_fry !!…

]]> Comment on Honours Thesis by Thomas http://the-outliers.com/2009/11/honours-thesis/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Thomas Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:55:04 +0000 http://the-outliers.com/?p=96#comment-29 Yes! That was it, thank you, had tried Preview on the mac. Thanks again! Yes! That was it, thank you, had tried Preview on the mac. Thanks again!

]]> Comment on Honours Thesis by andrea http://the-outliers.com/2009/11/honours-thesis/comment-page-1/#comment-28 andrea Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:52:32 +0000 http://the-outliers.com/?p=96#comment-28 thanks! it should be okay in Adobe Reader? thanks! it should be okay in Adobe Reader?

]]> Comment on Honours Thesis by Thomas http://the-outliers.com/2009/11/honours-thesis/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Thomas Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:50:23 +0000 http://the-outliers.com/?p=96#comment-27 I must be missing the font for the PDF, but the graphics look great! I must be missing the font for the PDF, but the graphics look great!

]]> Comment on Information Aesthetics: Closer to Art or Design? by estetik klinikleri http://the-outliers.com/2009/10/information-aesthetics-closer-to-art-or-design/comment-page-1/#comment-17 estetik klinikleri Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:25:41 +0000 http://the-outliers.com/?p=91#comment-17 it is an interesting aspect but I think it is quite hard to seperate art and desing. Both art and design contain the some part of the others. it is an interesting aspect but I think it is quite hard to seperate art and desing.
Both art and design contain the some part of the others.

]]> Comment on Thoughts on Kyoto: Who’s On Target from Information is Beautiful by Tom P http://the-outliers.com/2009/10/thoughts-on-kyoto-whos-on-target-from-information-is-beautiful/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Tom P Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:06:24 +0000 http://the-outliers.com/?p=77#comment-12 Aw shucks! Seriously though, I totally agree that engagement is really important when it comes to grabbing the casual reader but once you've snared them - which Information is Beautiful does brilliantly every time; interesting/ provocative subject matter + colourful, arresting visual design - you've got to get down to the job of helping your audience go away more informed (if that's your goal, sometimes we can use <a href="http://crooksandliars.com/logan-murphy/new-health-care-flow-chart-pushes-bac" rel="nofollow">info viz for the opposite purpose</a>). I think any critical take on info viz etc. needs to take into account what the graphic aims to achieve and judge it by those standards. Is the visualization purely informational or is it putting forward an argument? Does it aim to invite exploration of data or highlight particular aspects? or is it just trying to look nice? (usually some combination of the above). Obviously most of the time those aims aren't published alongside the chart so we have to infer from context. I don't really know what I'm getting at here but I expect our different takes come from having different expectations regarding the aims of the graphic. Anyway, looking forward to more provocative posts. -T Aw shucks!

Seriously though, I totally agree that engagement is really important when it comes to grabbing the casual reader but once you’ve snared them – which Information is Beautiful does brilliantly every time; interesting/ provocative subject matter + colourful, arresting visual design – you’ve got to get down to the job of helping your audience go away more informed (if that’s your goal, sometimes we can use info viz for the opposite purpose).

I think any critical take on info viz etc. needs to take into account what the graphic aims to achieve and judge it by those standards. Is the visualization purely informational or is it putting forward an argument? Does it aim to invite exploration of data or highlight particular aspects? or is it just trying to look nice? (usually some combination of the above). Obviously most of the time those aims aren’t published alongside the chart so we have to infer from context. I don’t really know what I’m getting at here but I expect our different takes come from having different expectations regarding the aims of the graphic.

Anyway, looking forward to more provocative posts.

-T

]]> Comment on Thoughts on Kyoto: Who’s On Target from Information is Beautiful by andrea http://the-outliers.com/2009/10/thoughts-on-kyoto-whos-on-target-from-information-is-beautiful/comment-page-1/#comment-11 andrea Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:07:41 +0000 http://the-outliers.com/?p=77#comment-11 hi Tom, amazing comment; perhaps you should be writing this blog, not me! I agree with most of your comments, although there is one thing I think your analysis is missing, which is the power of engagement. now, I don't have figures on this or anything and it's a little bt of a hunch, but judging by reactions and comments, if this graphic was published in a mainstream newspaper I think it would get a lot of eyeballs. why? because people see it as being familiar, then, they might see the data being about something relevant and interesting, then, they try and decipher it. so, yes, it's not Tuftian-fine-tuned, but it elicits a response, which is not everyhing, but is helpful. hi Tom, amazing comment; perhaps you should be writing this blog, not me!

I agree with most of your comments, although there is one thing I think your analysis is missing, which is the power of engagement. now, I don’t have figures on this or anything and it’s a little bt of a hunch, but judging by reactions and comments, if this graphic was published in a mainstream newspaper I think it would get a lot of eyeballs. why? because people see it as being familiar, then, they might see the data being about something relevant and interesting, then, they try and decipher it.

so, yes, it’s not Tuftian-fine-tuned, but it elicits a response, which is not everyhing, but is helpful.

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