Chris Harrison’s Graphics reported by Bob Carpenter at LingPipe Blog.
Visualizations are like slide presentations.
They can be painful but you do encounter those that simply work.
These are ones that just work.
It is possible to visualize a topic map as a graph, yawn, but when was the last time you saw a graph outside of math class?
True, all maps are graphs but I would be willing to bet most people would not name a map as an example of a graph.
Why?
Because a map, at least a well done one, assists its reader in accomplishing some task of interest to them. Using the map is a goal, not an end unto itself.
Hmmm, maps with nodes and edges connecting those nodes,…, I know, how about Disney World Maps!
Those are maps of physical locations.
Questions:
- What are some of the characteristics of any one or more of the Disney maps? (3-5 pages, no citations)
- Find five examples of maps that are not maps of physical locations.
- What is different/same about the maps in #1 versus #2? (3-5 pages, no citations)
*****
PS: Depending on the status of diplomatic cables (hopefully from a number of countries), consider that a graph between the cables could be interesting.
More interesting would be photos of the folks mentioned, arranged by events or contacts they share in the US. Has characteristics of a graph but perhaps more immediately compelling.
Say showing photos of all the School of the Americas graduates clustered together, like in a high school yearbook or police mug photo book.
Or showing those same photos with US officials.
To facilitate human recognition of additional subjects to pursue.