Link roundup for August 2016

Design is about making decisions. Here’s a good look at how different decisions about the same numbers can give you dramatically different maps:

Hat tip to Justin Kiggins.

One of the problems with a long-running blog like this is that I can’t remember if I’ve linked out to this series of blog posts on data visualization before or not. I am quite certain that I have not mentioned they are all collected in an affordable ebook. And there is also this list of what students find hard about making visuals.

Someone on Quora asked what makes for an engaging scientific poster. Warning: contains me.

There was a dreadful op ed in The Guardian about being a serious academic and how social media gets in the way of that or something. Anyone who claims to be “serious” today is setting themselves up for being lampooned for self-importance. See the #SeriousAcademic hashtag on Twitter for reactions, and Emily Willingham’s riposte. Janice Geary’s reaction, though, gave me pause:

How is it that social media is controversial for the #seriousacademic, but somehow we all still make posters like they accomplish something?

Obviously, I have a horse in this race. I will argue to Janice that posters can accomplish things. My best example is how being in a poster session led to co-organizing an international symposium. I would welcome other examples! How did you get things done in a poster session?
 
Now, a bit of summertime fun.

If you were one of the many who dug Stranger Things on Netflix, you will be pleased to know you can tap into the power its pastiche here.

There are some limitations. It seems to stall out at five letter words for that second line. “Posters” was apparently too long for a second line. Still fun. Hat tip to Doc Becca.

Today’s demonstration of the power of proximity in design comes courtesy of this unfortunate pairing of advertisements:

Hat tip to Andrew Bloch.