visual explanations book review

8/8/2019 Visual Explanations Book Review

1/10

Visual Explanations, by

Edward R. TufteBook Review for IST 631, by Jason W. Dean


2/10

What is this book about?

This book is about the graphical representation of

images, words, and numbers for presenting information.

And we also enter the cognitive paradise of explanation, a

sparkling and exuberant world, intensely relevant to the designof information. (p. [9])

The book is entertaining, and informative but not

exclusively devoted to classification. The individual

involved in classification must keep this in mind.However, the book is quite useful for evaluating

classification schemes in three areas: showing hidden

connections (theme one), contextualizing knowledge

(theme two), and effective description vs. size (theme

three)


3/10

Theme one: Visibility

In chapter three of the text, Tufte discusses

illustrations of magic.

Explanations of magic involve pictorial instructions

demonstrating a sequence of performance, a step-by-stepdescription of conjuring activities. To document and explain a

process, to make verbs visible, is at the heart of information

design.

Making verbs visible is also at the heart of classification.

How?


4/10

Making Verbs Visible

Classification describes connections between objects,

knowledge, or concepts.

It is the structure, and the description thatclassification that makes seemingly ephemeral

connections between things clear and real.

It is the contextualization of these things that helps

to make the connections (both between the objectsclassified and the connections made by the creator of a

scheme) clear, traceable, and very real.


5/10

Theme two: Contextualization

In chapter two, Tufte discusses the impact of the

contextualization of data in a visual display. This

general theme of contextualization is also applicable toclassification.

It is the act of contextualizing knowledge that gives

better meaning to the items classified in a given theme.

This is related to, but separate from the first theme of

making verbs visible.

This theme is illustrated with Dr. John Snows Cholera

Map, and MinardsCarte Figurative


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Dr. Snows Cholera Map. Only when the data were placed on a

map (contextualized) was the source of the cholera outbreak found

the Broad Street Pump


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Minards Carte Figurative. This graphic illustrates the relative size of

Napoleons army to and from Moscow (on the right). This places the size

on a map, as well as in a date sequence. When the data is contextualized,

its meaning and impact becomes apparent.


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Theme 2, Continued

Tufte provides four guidelines for the contextualization

of data, which I have adapted for classifications:

Facet the parts of a classification in an appropriate

context for assessing cause and effect, as well as otherrelationships.

Make connections and comparisons to clarify.

Consider alternate connections and contrast to

illuminate the scheme.

Assess possible errors or differences.


9/10


10/10

How does the book apply to

classification?The key here (and for the people we classify for) is that

contextualization provides a means to help our patrons and

users understand the classification schemes we use. The

book simply highlights the best practices for evaluating and

displaying the classifications (and data too) that we use.

I would recommend this for any librarian, or any

information professional as it is highly informative,

accessible, and useful.

Tufte, E. R. (1997). Visual explanations: Images and quantities,

evidence and narrative. Cheshire, Conn: Graphics Press.

visual explanations book review

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