September 2007 Archives
One of the newer trends in data/information visualization is using subway-style maps as a platform or at least a visual metaphor. A recent example of this is a map of current web trends created by InformationArchitects.jp. Their rendering is based on the Tokyo subway map - a notoriously complicated piece of design, for a notoriously complicated subway system.
The IA WebTrends map is highly metaphorical, leaning absolutely on a pre-existing system. Any real understanding of the data portrayed requires a real understanding of both systems - the current online web-space, and the Tokyo subway. The info-consumer must rely on too heavily on a forced visual (color-based, aside from the 'trend forecast' icon-set, which is cute, but banal) language. There seems to be little consideration of other cues, such as line-weight, distance, shape... This work fails as a visualization, and succeeds at functioning like an overly-complex ven-diagram and a bastardized subway map.
There are a number of these aesthetically pleasing info-maps that come up short as a vehicle for the display of complex information. Oskar Karlin's Time Travel map is a striking example - very minimal, with sharp, bright lines. Karlin's map is not at all intuitive at first glance, as one of the comments stated. There is no immediate sense of scale or distance, and [in most versions] only loosely resembles the subway map which it is based upon.
Information visualization is a discipline requiring a great clarity of design - more architecture than graphic design, much less art. First consideration must be given to the clarity of the data, the content. Of course, the bulk of the data visualized in these subway maps is far from qualitative.
The folks over at sixApart recently launched an iPhone-centric MovableType admin tool. The plugin only works with version 4 of MT. This blog was running version 3. The only logical thing to do, really was to upgrade MT. So this blog has a new version, a new template (minimalist what?), and a new feed url - though the old one should still work. I'm still getting used to the template and plugin tools in MT-4, and I'm not quite sure how I feel about them at this point. But everything seems a lot faster, and the code is much cleaner... oh, and the admin tool is a 100% improvement.
The style is most likely going to change a lot in the coming days. I was never really happy with the old template, but never had the time to change it. I was inspired by A Brief Message, a new project from Liz Danzico and Khoi Vinh. They took a simple approach that's kind of refreshing, what with all the clutter and hype about the blogosphere. As an aside, the most recent post is a good one - by ITP's own Clay Shirky. I heartily endorse.
Months, actually - as in plural - since I've posted on HyperContext... And I'm sorry. Really, I am sorry. But I have some pretty decent excuses, I think. Working as a Sr. Interface Engineer at Organic, working with people on some really interesting projects, and renovating my new apartment.
But the loft is almost done (!!!!!!!), and I'm finally getting used to life after ITP (real world? what?), so the posts will start back up soon. I promise. More [not-so-]witty comments on the tech, dev, and networked world from a not-yet-totally jaded hacker and aeron-chair philosopher.
