Published yesterday comes the newest episode of the PBS ‘Off Book’ series in the form of a nice video titled “The Art of Data Visualization”, a subject close to the topic of some of my recent talks. A few out there on Twitter have picked up on this already but I thought I would post it on here to reach a wider audience.
As Lisa Romagnoli – the Associate Producer – explains “Off Book is a web series from PBS that explores cutting edge art and technology and the people behind it. This episode features Edward Tufte and breaks down the ways in which we present and digest data today.”
The video includes plenty of relevant contemporary examples and contains analysis and insight from names such as Edward Tufte, Julie Steele, Josh Smith, Jer Thorp
Humans have a powerful capacity to process visual information, skills that date far back in our evolutionary lineage. And since the advent of science, we have employed intricate visual strategies to communicate data, often utilizing design principles that draw on these basic cognitive skills. In a modern world where we have far more data than we can process, the practice of data visualization has gained even more importance. From scientific visualization to pop infographics, designers are increasingly tasked with incorporating data into the media experience. Data has emerged as such a critical part of modern life that it has entered into the realm of art, where data-driven visual experiences challenge viewers to find personal meaning from a sea of information, a task that is increasingly present in every aspect of our information-infused lives.