[Sigia-l] WINDS relation browser

[Christopher Fahey]

> For instance, I agree with Eric that you should retain
> the map as the main cue for relationships.  

I agree 1000%. What's the point of abstracting a perfectly fine world map
into diagrammatic bubbles and lines? The main bits of information
illustrated in this GUI are geographic anyway: "Borders", "Is part of", etc.


Imagine a normal, everyday flat world map. Almost any map will do, since
even the simplest map will explicitly and concretely do a perfectly thorough
job of displaying the proximity relationships between nations, landmasses,
bodies of water. Already you've improved upon 90% of the WINDS browser's
functionality, and this is just with a single static image!

Now lets add interactivity: Imagine you click a country to see some
contextual details about it, such as language. You click the language to see
a list of other countries speaking that language. Perhaps even all of those
countries highlight on the map. WINDS, eat your heart out!

This interface is fun to use, however, and I imagine it's perfect for
something. I highly encourage them to keep working on it. 

This type of GUI may be excellent for some other type of data (for example,
the complex interrelationships between corporate board members as seen in
the excellent http://www.theyrule.net) but this particular CIA Factbook
implementation is an obvious mismatch of interface and data. The WINDS
people have built an alternate implementation which is a little more
appropriate to the dataset (here: http://getoutfoxed.com/visualization), but
still, how is this any better than, say, fast-loading Friendster-like AJAX
page modules displaying links & thumbnail headshots?

Too often UX designers forget to ask themselves "Can I more efficiently
accomplish this task with a non-interactive, simple, flat page with just
text and/or flat images?" I'm reminded of the fad of making site maps using
3D isometric projections: ten times the work to create half the
information-per-square-inch.

-Cf

Christopher Fahey
____________________________
Behavior
http://www.behaviordesign.com