Graph Design for the Eye and Mind | 
 enlarge | Author: Stephen M. Kosslyn
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $52.95
Buy New: $38.75
You Save: $14.20 (27%)
New (20) Used (11) from $28.17
Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 318581
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 304
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.9 x 6.9 x 0.7
ISBN: 0195311841
Dewey Decimal Number: 001.4226
EAN: 9780195311846
Publication Date: August 10, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Just arrived from publisher - ships with tracking #
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Product Description
Graphs have become a fixture of everyday life, used in scientific and business publications, in magazines and newspapers, on television, on billboards, and even on cereal boxes. Nonetheless, surprisingly few graphs communicate effectively, and most graphs fail because they do not take into account the goals, needs, and abilities of the viewers. In raph Design for Eye and Mind, Stephen Kosslyn addresses these problems by presenting eight psychological principles for constructing effective graphs. Each principle is solidly rooted both in the scientific literature on how we perceive and comprehend graphs and in general facts about how our eyes and brains process visual information. Kosslyn then uses these eight psychological principles as the basis for hundreds of specific recommendations that serve as a concrete, step-by-step guide to deciding whether a graph is an appropriate display to use, choosing the correct type of graph for a specific type of data and message, and then constructing graphs that will be understood at a glance. Kosslyn also includes a complete review of the scientific literature on graph perception and comprehension, and appendices that provide a quick tutorial on basic statistics and a checklist for evaluating computer-graphics programs. Graph Design for Eye and Mind is an invaluable reference for anyone who uses visual displays to convey information in the sciences, humanities, and businesses such as finance, marketing, and advertising.
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| Customer Reviews:
Run away before it is too late September 2, 2006
David H. Peterzell (San Diego, CA United States)
28 out of 30 found this review helpful
I admit that I'm a graph junkie, and that I've already spent years obsessing over the details my own graphs and those of others. I'm almost incapable of processing data unless I can create a meaningful picture of it. I'll actually scan journals and books looking for satisfying graphs. I actually will take money from people to make graphs for them. I already have too many books on graph making, including everything by Tufte. I've sat through Gore's new global warming movie a few times just to check out the cool graphics. I mean, who ever heard of a movie that was 90% graphs???
This is a sick, sick book. This insidious thing is my drug of choice. But now I've overdosed on all the figures portrayed from beginning to end. There must be three hundred of these mother's little helpers, including an enormous stash of "do's" and "don'ts" sprinkled everywhere. The whole thing is infused with visual and cognitive science, which is like heroin in my dark and distorted world. All of this has been crystallized into 8 principles - the drug in its pure form. I've already thrown away millions of dollars on Kosslyn's books on cognitive neuroscience and now he's pushing this one. What can I say? I've relapsed and I can't stop. I'm powerless over my addiction. In my weakened state, I plan to push this book on my grad students and clients. Kosslyn has engineered the most powerful and dangerous book on graph making ever to see the light of day, injecting it with science and acidic creativity. They should lock this Kosslyn guy up and throw away the key(board) before he causes any more trouble.
Sept 12, 2006 update:
Well, I'm getting good hate mail for the review above (originally posted Sept 1). So let me clarify: I loved this book.
This is my favorite book on graph making. First off, I think anybody who designs graphs will find it easy to use and helpful. It guides designers through the steps of choosing a graph format and optimizing the graph's features. It provides hundreds of illustrations, including examples of "do's" and "don'ts." One of the most amazing things about this book is that it is authored by Stephen Kosslyn, an eminent cognitive neuroscientist and the world's leading expert on imagery. The essentials of perceptual and cognitive science are here, and they are put to work in simple yet effective ways. So Kosslyn's groundbreaking book provides remarkably practical and simple guidelines, but it also contains considerable scientific depth.
A re-issue of a classic March 17, 2008
Noah Iliinsky (SEATTLE, WA USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a phenomenal book on designing graphs so they can be understood. It is clearly written, well reasoned, and full of very practical advice and good examples. There is nothing else like it. If you need to create effective, accurate graphs, and read just one book, this is the one.
It should be noted that it is a re-titled reissue of the (much cheaper) Elements of Graph Design.
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