For all those who (like us) are tired of seeing a lot of dataviz that is as fancy-looking as it is imcomprehensible and obtuse, we are really delighted to see that John Grimwade has a new blog on infographics. It’s called Infographics for the People. John is a necessary reference for anyone practicing information graphics or just interested in them. For decades, he’s been a master of clean, well explained and sophisticated information graphics that illuminate complex subjects for readers. John’s career includes the Times of London, Condé Nast Traveler, and a long list of freelance projects. He is also a great teacher and mentor, having taught infographics at the School of Visual Arts in NYC, at the annual “Show Don’t Tell” workshop (part of the Malofiej conference in Pamplona), and as a terrific speaker. He is currently teaching at the School of Visual Communication in Ohio University. The are plenty of interesting blogs around on data visualization, and some on infographics in general, but none that we are more excited about reading.

His mission statement summarizes the purpose nicely, and we couldn’t agree more:

“I’m trying to promote infographics that engage the general public. There is a trend towards elitist visualizations, that seem like they might be designed for data geeks. Of course, visual communication is a powerful way to help people understand, but first we have to get people on our side. Be inclusive, not exclusive. And never forget that a sense of fun is an important component in getting our message across. Infographics for the People!”

Check it out! Also, here is John’s website.