Whole New Eye - One experiment that could help us communicate better

I don’t think I’ve ever read a comic book in my life, but I have read the entire 9/11 Commission Report… Well, kind of.  Whether you call it Comics, or Manga there is an art form permeating past the realm of basement collectors and prepubescent kids to the business world and it is giving us a new way to communicate. Here at CIMIT we spend a lot of time thinking about this.

I attended a class by Edward Tufte a few months back and the one thing I always think back to is: Simple. Meaning, how do we present complicated data or information with 1.) Clarity 2.) No manipulation/cherry-picking 3.) Creativity

Clarity Ever read a map or a bar graph? What is the first thing you look for? The legend, right? We need the key to know how to read and understand what you’re looking at and that key is off in the corner somewhere. So we’re going back and forth between that key in the corner and the actual presentation of data. What if we presented it so that anyone could see all of the information all in one place without having to shift around, without a key? And we did it all in an organized, neat and clean way.

Manipulation What if we gave all the data? Have you ever wanted to videotape or record someone’s presentation and they tell you: “I have unpublished data, no.” This is true, sometimes, but rarely. What they might mean is they aren’t sure of their data. In our work here at CIMIT I’ve noticed that the projects with the most excitement and incredible initial results don’t seem to go anywhere. It’s a factor of what data are we want to give.

Creativity Now, lets take it a step farther. It’s has to look good, it’s has to be interesting. The 9/11 Commission Report was possibly one of the most complicated documents in the history of the world, not for any real failing of the Commission, but because what happened was so complicated. And that is were Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon come in. They used their life in comic book illustration to make an essential piece of art for adults to understand what happened in their animated version (see link above) of the report. It’s not a new book, but it might just change the way you look at the world and the things you put in front of your face. Remember, comics have to present information and story in single cells and with simplicity, but they have incredible impact.

Graphic Adaptaion 9/11 Comission Report - click here for larger view

From there we go to The Adventures of Johnny Bunko the new business book by Dan Pink. This is the first animated book of Manga to help propel your career forward. Dan decided to start walking the talk and he presents to you career ideas as life and illustration. And it works.

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko Trailer

To listen to Dan Pink talk about Manga development and impact in American Business click here

Finally, remember that great thinkers have been trying to accomplish these ideas for ages. Charles Joseph Minard created this work of art to show Napoleon's losses as he marched on Moscow. Possibly the greatest piece of statistical art in history.

Charles Joseph Minard Map of War Lost - click here for larger view

Best,

CIMIT blog

Comments

[Andrew Webster]

Mike,
Visualization is such an important consideration in communications. I loved the simplicity of Johnny Bunko as well. I wish I would have read a type only copy before experiencing the real thing, just to give me an idea of what impact the graphics did have. Dan, is there any research around impact or retention when text is supported by meaningful graphics?

XPLANE is worth checking out for their work in presenting information visually. See:
http://www.xplane.com/#

And of course, Tom Wujec is always doing great things. Last I spoke to him, he was looking at writing a book called "Viz Biz". See:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiOdXC9A4V0

Thanks, Andrew (now blogging at www.togetherworking.blogspot.com)

[Dan Pink]

Great post. I attended a Tufte class about 10 years ago -- and, perhaps not surprisingly, it changed the way I present and process visual data. The 9-11 graphic report is also quite good. The pull-out visual timetable of events is incredibly compelling. Glad you liked Johnny Bunko, too.