Edward Tufte

If you’re told what to look for, you can’t see anything else.

— Edward Tufte

“Comparisons must be enforced within the scope of the eyespan, a fundamental point occasionally forgotten in practice.”

— Edward Tufte

If there is a well thought-out design standard, it should be followed. In practice, great design comes from great designers. That is…

— Edward Tufte

The point of the essay is to change things.

— Edward Tufte

Here's the general theory: To clarify, add detail. Imagine that. To clarify, add detail. And clutter and overload are not an attribute…

— Edward Tufte

My idea here is that, inasmuch as certain cognitive tasks and principles are tied to nature's laws, these tasks and principles are…

— Edward Tufte

Clutter and confusion are failures of design, not attributes of information.

— Edward Tufte

Confusion and clutter are failures of design, not attributes of information. And so the point is to find design strategies that reveal…

— Edward Tufte

We've drifted into this presentation mode without realizing the cost to the content and the audience in the process.

— Edward Tufte

If your words or images are not on point, making them dance in color won't make them relevant.

— Edward Tufte

I hope that I am generous and tolerant, but certainly on the intellectual side I think that there are discoverable truths, and…

— Edward Tufte

“If the statistics are boring, then you've got the wrong numbers.”

— Edward Tufte

Good design is a lot like clear thinking made visual.

— Edward Tufte

I think it is important for software to avoiding imposing a cognitive style on workers and their work.

— Edward Tufte

The essential test of design is how well it assists the understanding of the content, not how stylish it is.

— Edward Tufte

A metaphor for good information design is a map. Hold any diagram against a map and see how it compares.

— Edward Tufte

There is no such thing as information overload, just bad design. If something is cluttered and/or confusing, fix your design.

— Edward Tufte

It is straightforward for me to be ethical, responsible, and kind-hearted because I have the resources to support that.

— Edward Tufte

The idea is that the content is the interface, the information is the interface, not computer-administrative debris.

— Edward Tufte

PowerPoint presentations too often resemble a school play - very loud, very slow, and very simple.

— Edward Tufte

An open mind but not an empty head.

— Edward Tufte

Great design is not democratic; it comes from great designers. If the standard is lousy, then develop another standard.

— Edward Tufte

“Cosmetic decoration, which frequently distorts the data, will never salvage an underlying lack of content.”

— Edward Tufte

Make all visual distinctions as subtle as possible, but still clear and effective.

— Edward Tufte

Science and art have in common intense seeing, the wide-eyed observing that generates empirical information.

— Edward Tufte