Re: Anyone heard of this Tufte guy?

Subject: Re: Anyone heard of this Tufte guy?
From: Michelle Corbin Nichols <tigger -at- VNET -dot- NET>
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 17:47:05 -0400

I had heard of Tufte throughout my schooling in TC. I had seen him quoted
all over the place. His first book, "The Visual Display of Quantitative
Information," was key in the scientific and engineering fields.

When I saw that he was going to be the keynote speaker at the International
STC Conference in Toronto this May, I went to amazon.com and looked at the
reviews and summaries of each of his books.

I bought his second book, "Envisioning Information," because it sounded
like it would apply to more general TC topics. I read the book in two
nights. It was gorgeous, easy-to-read, and the information was both
logical and precise. His chapters "Micro/Macro Readings" and "Layering and
Separation" held the most interest to me.

Here is one of my favorite quotes from page 37 of "Envisioning
Information:" "Detail cumulates into larger coherent
structures......Simplicity of reading derives from the context of detailed
and complex information properly arranged. A most unconventional design
strategy is revealed: to clarify, add detail." One of the best examples
he uses is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC....I'll let that
be a teaser for buying the book. :)

I have many more quotes that I marked in the book that apply directly to
Information Design, not just the design of quantitative information,
although there is a lot of that in the book.

Having read this book I can see clearly why he is seen as a god among TCs.

TTFN,
Michelle Corbin Nichols

TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html


Previous by Author: Any comments on these 2 books?
Next by Author: Re: Anyone heard of this Tufte guy? -Reply
Previous by Thread: Re: Anyone heard of this Tufte guy?
Next by Thread: Re: Anyone heard of this Tufte guy? -Reply


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads