Envisioning Information

Jeff Ginger | Art Studio 444 | 03.29.07

So for once I'm not out to argue with or dissect one of the readings - I just simply liked what the author exhibited in this one. They give numerous examples of macroscopic views that can be reduced to microscopic ones. I know everyone is instantly thinking of Google Earth, but what other interfaces might this be used for? Perhaps on a resume - have a collection of pictures floating or a mirage of words - and a click on any given one would zoom in to detail this section?

Or the Vietnam Memorial, which I never knew was organized in the fashion it is - how could one replicate that in a web interactive format? Perhaps a scroll-like looking strip of text on white background that wraps around something circular? So as you rotate it the text becomes clearer and straightened (not wrapped around)?

I usually enjoy these sorts of contemplations of redeploying data through new visual methods (in this case massive amounts of information organized so that they become accessible) but I always yearn to establish a way they could adapted to a web interactive format.

I spose Google Calendar is another example. You get a visual display of your week and can click on any given event to see the text details.

I don't know if I completely agree with the comment that "Clutter and confusion are failures of design, not attributes of information." (51) Depending upon how information is collected and processed it could be confusing. If the data is not consistent, impartial, or otherwise inaccessible then no amount of good design in layout and distribution of this data can come to the rescue. We must pay attention to our data collection process as much as our organization and design.