Who Ever Said Data Had To Be Bland?
Simple line graphs and pie charts can be monotonous and eventually we will become numb to them. Breathing life and individuality into these works can set your internet traffic report or annual report apart from the rest, and if this individuality can help the user better understand the information it’s a win-win. I find that usually the answer is within the problem. Study the problem long enough and you will find it.
Some of you must be thinking, “It doesn’t matter if something is designed beautifully, if the content is there that is all that matters.” Though these particular examples are indeed beautiful, it does not mean that they sacrificed any usability in the process. A truly successful design piece captures the essence of the data in the best way possible. It highlights what is important and at the same time makes the information that much more transparent. Louis Sullivan, mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright said it best: “Form follows function. This is the law.” Let the data dictate its own form, work with the content; not against it. Do not hide what you are trying to say.
Communicating solely through language can sometimes get a bit tricky, this is where graphics and visual aids can do the talking. It is important to remember that this is the moment of truth. All can be lost in this process but there is so much to be found, that the risk is well worth it. Being able to create a run-of-the-mill graph or table to explain something is all well and good, but if you can look beyond the obvious and transform the information into a unique intuitive experience, you have done a great deed. Good design is hard to come by and good information design is even harder.
Check out The Beauty of Infographics and Data Visualization to see what I mean.
