Information landscapes

Telling stories in a way that speaks to our visual nature

Hi all,

Most of you probably already know that I’ve spent much of my life creating visual explanations, telling visual infographics that make sense of complex or potentially confusing information. I think of these as information landscapes, because they take advantage of our natural, intuitive visual sensemaking skills.

We can easily read a landscape, in real life or in art, quickly reading not only the information it presents, but the ease or difficulty of the terrain, the softness or harshness of the weather, the climate, the light, time of day, and so on.

Landscapes can be welcoming or threatening, whimsical or deadly serious. They convey not just information but mood and emotion. And they have metaphorical power too. Information landscapes also have a rich history. From the cave paintings in Lascaux, to ancient China, to medieval manuscripts, visual information landscapes have played roles in storytelling, poetry, teaching, and spirituality.

I’d like to highlight two of my more recent information landscapes to demonstrate what I mean.

The Corporate Innovation Ecosystem.

The Corporate Innovation Ecosystem.

This first one is intended for innovation leaders in large organizations, as well as entrepreneurs in startups and tech companies. Its tone is clean and clear, and the bright colors are like Lego blocks, conveying the idea that innovation is about creating, and it can be fun.

Liminal Thinking.

Liminal Thinking.

This second one is very different. For one thing, it’s more personal, since it’s a summary of some key points from my book, Liminal Thinking. The story it tells is more introspective and thoughtful. If the corporate ecosystem is a landscape of Legoland, this one is more like a misty glen.

You may know by now that I have exited my company, XPLANE, after many years of hard, fun work with companies large and small. My focus these days is on more personal work.

I especially enjoy visual storytelling and information landscapes like these, so please do let me know if you have something I could help you visualize.

After a bit of informal research, I discovered that most of you who are inclined to buy stuff from independents like me prefer to buy from Etsy. So moving forward, I’ll be posting prints on Etsy. If you would like one of these information landscapes for your wall, I have set them up as posters for sale on Etsy and you can get one here.

Be well,

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