Periodic Table of Storytelling
My previous post on MyPlate demonstrated my interest in infographics and the user experience they offer. Some are definitely richer, more successful, and more compelling than others. Joe Chernov shares how designers rate success in “16 Experts Answer, “What makes a great infographic?” In addition to the good points these experts note, great infographics can challenge me to rethink information and presentation at its core.
Consequently, I keep insightful, innovative, and fun resources for data visualization in my idea notebook. In addition to data visualization classics, such as anything by Edward Tufte and SmartMoney’s Map of the Market, here are a couple of resources that might inspire and amuse you:
- Information is Beautiful has really thoughtful and sometimes shocking graphics that shed light on familiar topics, news events, and statistics you think you knew.
- The New York Times publishes compelling data visualizations, such as Mapping the Nation’s Well-Being. OK, this is a classic resource, but I include it here because many people still think of the words first and great visuals second. Yet the rich, often interactive, graphics have made the Times online experience such a success. Gestalten.tv interviewed two Times’ graphics editors who shared insights into creating great graphics in the deadline intensive environment of a newsroom.
- GraphJam.com shares humorous graphics. What catches my eye is visualizations of content I’d never considered displaying visually. For example, The Periodic Table of Storytelling made me reconsider crafting a story from familiar elements by driving home the difference between a formulaic story and the good chemistry of an engaging one.
What are some of your favorite infographics or resources for data visualization?
