Visualizations or images are becoming a popular way to convey information. One possibility for why this is occurring is because a large amount of information can be put in a small amount of space. Another reason why visualizations are becoming more popular is that we are a visual culture. Advertisements, TV, video games, movies, etc. play a large part in our lives and we have become very good at interpreting what images mean.
The visualization examples in class were interesting because they incorporated a multitude of different techniques to display information. Two of the things that each of these examples had were color and graphics. As individuals of a digital age we need color and graphics to keep our attention. Other features like search boxes, interactive videos, etc also allow us to see the information in a the way we want to, which in turn maintains our interest for a longer period of time.
As Erik said we would incorporate a map of where the beat poets traveled. There are multiple ways in which to do this, but I was considering having a search box that would show where individual beat poets traveled as well as an overall map. I think it would also be interesting to search by time in order to see when and where the beat poets met. I know Erik was also thinking about including a map of where the different works were created. Another interesting visualization component that we were considering was a timeline. The timeline would also be interactive and could be in multiple forms. A traditional timeline could be shown but I think it would also be interesting to have the timeline set up as a slide show that incorporates pictures and short explanations in chronological order. Overall visualization opens a large window of opportunities to display information and capture peoples attention.