i am not a big fan of information visualization. it is abstract (sometimes too abstract to be possibly understandable), beautiful (sometimes too pretty to be shown the information that they were initially trying to address), and connotative (sometimes too implicated to track where i am floating now). 

i can feel the designer's pain to visualize massive data into the small space BUT current trend in Information Visualization seems like putting the cart before the horse. as most of designers have been behaving, several info visual pieces are slightly getting forgotten about the most important fact that they initially intended to address 'information' not 'visual'.

It is always difficult to keep the balance between aesthetic and logic, and we all already know this is a meaningless argument. 

so, get back on track...

i remember Martin Wattenberg who initiated 'The Name Voyager', a web-based visualization of historical trends in baby naming. Cool and fun to doodle your time, and if you are just about to have a new member of family, check it up! :)  

one of my favorites in his work pieces is 'The Shape of Song' conducted in 2001. these gorgeous blue theme circles made a beautiful abstract and random composition.

Next my another favorite is 'The History Flow' in 2003. As everyone knows, wikipedia can be edited or modified by anyone who can access to, so there is certain historical record. The 'History Flow' made with the massive text data, and the colorful flow diagrams take a lengthy edit history and turn it into a picture. I bet, some of them are really hilarious.