I love to see a well conceived chart that conveys complex information in an intuitive way. Having attended a one day seminar by Edward Tufte, Presenting Data and Information, I learned to see the beauty of complexity shown simply. I also learned to spot how many charts show information incorrectly, out of scale or just wrong. Prof Tufte still travels the country teaching those seminars and I encourage you to try to attend one.

My friend Neal Leininger sent me a note, “With all the news outlets scrambling to fan the flames of panic: Here are some FACTS.” The chart about radiation levels shown below was linked.

You can quickly consult this chart (click on it to enlarge or follow the link) and understand the relative danger levels of radiation. Having access to this kind of knowledge makes us more effective. I try to present construction knowledge in ways that are also clear and intuitive. Sometimes I succeed.