Accord Quote by Edward Tufte
“I do believe that there are some universal cognitive tasks that are deep and profound - indeed, so deep and profound that it is worthwhile to understand them in order to design our displays in accord with those tasks.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, Edward Tufte, 1983
Deep cognitive tasks should guide display design to align with human understanding.
In simple terms: Design displays based on fundamental cognitive tasks.
Key Takeaway
Design with human cognition in mind.
Themes
design
cognition
information
Mood
analytical
educational
Type
technical
practical
When to use this quote
- data visualization
- educational tools
- UX design
Key Concepts
human‑centered design
visual perception
deep tasks
Questions to Reflect On
- What cognitive tasks are most critical for your audience?
- How can you test if a display matches deep tasks?
A Different Perspective
Complex tasks may be hard to simplify for all users.
