Comments on: E.T., phone home http://realfake.org/blog/2005/01/28/et-phone-home/ the tao that can be blogged is not the eternal tao Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:37:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Brian Dear http://realfake.org/blog/2005/01/28/et-phone-home/#comment-58 Brian Dear Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://realfake.org/b/?p=311#comment-58 FYI my name is Brian Dear... "brianstorms" is a play on words, not my name :-) FYI my name is Brian Dear… “brianstorms” is a play on words, not my name :-)

]]> By: Steve Mewborn http://realfake.org/blog/2005/01/28/et-phone-home/#comment-59 Steve Mewborn Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://realfake.org/b/?p=311#comment-59 I sometimes wonder if Tufte will be remembered as a seminal figure for poiting out the importance of information design and possibly also for elucidating a few high-level principles of good design, but not for any of his specific recommnedations. I read his stuff and my general thoughts are: 1) Wow, this is a tremendously important topic, why don't people pay more attention to this stuff? - It absolutely effects how information is received and translated into action. 2) Wow, he's right that graphs are often too cluttered, and used in cases where text is a more effective and/or accurate presentation. 3) Wow, he's wrong about a host of specific issues. Powerpoint is abused, sure, but it can be effective. Graphs are used too often, sure, but they help people quickly grasp relationships that are often not imediately apparent from numeric data. Custom graphics, lovingly tailored to the specific infomration being presented are more effective than canned, standardized formats, sure, but life is short and besides there's tremendous value in standardization sometimes - it helps people process information more quickly and reduces the chances for mis-interpretation by keeping people anchored in familiar formats that they have a long track record in interpreting. (On that front, Tufte's ongoing spooge-fest about that 19th century map of Napolean's conquests - "Best. Graph. Ever" - has certainly made many converts. I've heard a lot of Tufte-philes rave about how brilliant it is. But it takes them 10 minutes to explain it to someone who's never seen it before, and that ought to tell them something.) 4) Wow he's a tool. I sometimes wonder if Tufte will be remembered as a seminal figure for poiting out the importance of information design and possibly also for elucidating a few high-level principles of good design, but not for any of his specific recommnedations.

I read his stuff and my general thoughts are:

1) Wow, this is a tremendously important topic, why don’t people pay more attention to this stuff? - It absolutely effects how information is received and translated into action.

2) Wow, he’s right that graphs are often too cluttered, and used in cases where text is a more effective and/or accurate presentation.

3) Wow, he’s wrong about a host of specific issues. Powerpoint is abused, sure, but it can be effective. Graphs are used too often, sure, but they help people quickly grasp relationships that are often not imediately apparent from numeric data. Custom graphics, lovingly tailored to the specific infomration being presented are more effective than canned, standardized formats, sure, but life is short and besides there’s tremendous value in standardization sometimes - it helps people process information more quickly and reduces the chances for mis-interpretation by keeping people anchored in familiar formats that they have a long track record in interpreting. (On that front, Tufte’s ongoing spooge-fest about that 19th century map of Napolean’s conquests - “Best. Graph. Ever” - has certainly made many converts. I’ve heard a lot of Tufte-philes rave about how brilliant it is. But it takes them 10 minutes to explain it to someone who’s never seen it before, and that ought to tell them something.)

4) Wow he’s a tool.

]]> By: Ezra http://realfake.org/blog/2005/01/28/et-phone-home/#comment-60 Ezra Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://realfake.org/b/?p=311#comment-60 Oops-- corrected above! Oops– corrected above!

]]> By: Ezra http://realfake.org/blog/2005/01/28/et-phone-home/#comment-61 Ezra Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://realfake.org/b/?p=311#comment-61 I think Tufte's strongest case against powerpoint isn't really against powerpoint, it's in its misapplication as a document format for things which aren't even presentations. His strongest example is as a format for scientific reports or graphs. An example that I can think of from work just yesterday was a co-worker preparing a 3-slide powerpoint to describe a business process. It was unintelligable, but could have easily been a flowchart, or even a one-page outline. I think Tufte’s strongest case against powerpoint isn’t really against powerpoint, it’s in its misapplication as a document format for things which aren’t even presentations. His strongest example is as a format for scientific reports or graphs. An example that I can think of from work just yesterday was a co-worker preparing a 3-slide powerpoint to describe a business process. It was unintelligable, but could have easily been a flowchart, or even a one-page outline.

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