Students are not prepared for datavisualizations

Understand, visualise, survive – The headline for an interesting opinion-piece in the latest issue of eye (#78). Former BBC-Head of Design Max Gadney argues, that all graphic design students must be taught information design. How else will they be able to work with visualization of data, which is in such high demand right now?

I’ll agree with that wish – just remember, that it will take some really good teachers to help their students to break away from the focus on interesting patterns and visual style. And do we have the needed amount of teachers in the industry / schools / universities?

It won’t help much to ask the students to read up on the subject in the various infographic books. As Max writes: ‘Many books on the subject are little more than visually appealing data-art masquerading as purposeful and understandable communication. The air of integrity sought by these faux ‘infographics’ is like ‘the science bit’ in shampoo commercials’.

The entire piece can be read here: