Tufte’s writing is important in such fields as information design and visual literacy, which deal with the visual communication of information. He coined the term “chartjunk” to refer to useless, non-informative, or information-obscuring elements of quantitative information displays.

He uses the term “data-ink ratio” to argue against including non-informative decoration in visual displays of quantitative information. He claims that ink should only be used to convey and display significant data. In Visual Display, Tufte states:

“Sometimes decorations can help editorialize about the substance of the graphic. But it’s wrong to distort the data measures—the ink locating values of numbers—in order to make an editorial comment or fit a decorative scheme.”

Trip Details:
 
• 9:00a-4:30p August 18th, 2008
• $285 registration (after 25% group discount)
• Includes all four of Edward Tufte’s books; Visual Explanations, Envisioning Information, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, and Beautiful Evidence 

http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/courses

Where should we collect a Phoenix RSVP list?

When: April 17, 2008  7pm – 10pm 
Location: Tempe Marketplace, a mile West of the Loop 101 and a 1/2 mile South of the Loop 202 at McClintock and Rio Salado.
Price: FREE
Age: 18+

Who’s Going?