Tufte 3

Layering and Separation

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Tufte describes the effectiveness of layering and separation. With designers using different elements such as colors, lines, and symbols it helps enhance what needs to be drawn out and what doesn't. On page 56 Tufte includes a map in his reading. The map in the picture is not overwhelming or creating to much noise (which is something Tufte emphasis while describing the rules and effectiveness in layering and separation. Things such as included road maps had to be clear, simple, and concise because that was how a person got from point A to point B.

Layering and Separation

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I think the layering part of the chapter is very well represented by the chart on p. 55 with the different color separating the different train routes. I also like the map on a later page as an example because it brought to mind the map books that I used to see in my parents' car before GPS devices and smart phones made navigation almost effortless. I think the author was trying to bring attention to the fact that information designers consciously decide to make certain things about maps, charts, graphs, infographics, etc.