The essential test of design is how well it assists the understanding of the content, not how stylish it is. Edward Tufte More Quotes by Edward Tufte More Quotes From Edward Tufte Only drug dealers and software companies call their customers 'users' Edward Tufte company software drug Graphical excellence is that which gives to the viewer the greatest number of ideas in the shortest time with the least ink in the smallest space. Edward Tufte space numbers ideas Confusion and clutter are failures of design, not attributes of information. And so the point is to find design strategies that reveal detail and complexity - rather than to fault the data for an excess of complication. Or, worse, to fault viewers for a lack of understanding. Edward Tufte data design confusion Good design is clear thinking made visible, bad design is stupidity made visible Edward Tufte design stupidity thinking What is to be sought in designs for the display of information is the clear portrayal of complexity. Not the complication of the simple; rather the task of the designer is to give visual access to the subtle and the difficult - that is, revelation of the complex. Edward Tufte design simple giving In general, I think audiences are a lot smarter than people think. So, it's not "know your audience", it's "respect your audience, and really know your content". Edward Tufte audience people thinking Design isn't crafting a beautiful, textured button with breathtaking animation. It's figuring out if there's a way to get rid of the button altogether. Edward Tufte creativity design beautiful Design cannot rescue failed content. Edward Tufte rescue design Clutter and confusion are failures of design, not attributes of information. Edward Tufte simplicity confusion simple If the statistics are boring, you've got the wrong numbers. Edward Tufte wrong-number statistics numbers The world is complex, dynamic, multidimensiona l; Edward Tufte measurement paper world Good design is a lot like clear thinking made visual. Edward Tufte design made thinking It is not how much empty space there is, but rather how it is used. It is not how much information there is, but rather how effectively it is arranged. Edward Tufte empty information space Clutter is not a property of information. Clutter is a failure of design. Edward Tufte clutter information design I have stared long enough at the glowing flat rectangles of computer screens. Let us give more time for doing things in the real world...plant a plant, walk the dogs, read a real book, go to the opera. Edward Tufte real dog book The commonality between science and art is in trying to see profoundly - to develop strategies of seeing and showing. Edward Tufte design science art If your words or images are not on point, making them dance in color won't make them relevant. Edward Tufte relevant color ifs Simple design, intense content. Edward Tufte design consciousness simple The best graphics are about the useful and important, about life and death, about the universe. Beautiful graphics do not traffic with the trivial. Edward Tufte life-and-death important beautiful Make all visual distinctions as subtle as possible, but still clear and effective. Edward Tufte subtle distinction simplicity
