# The simple genius of a good graphic

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED2018
- Speaker: Tommy McCall
- Year: 2018
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Mathematics, Art, architecture and design
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/tommy_mccall_the_simple_genius_of_a_good_graphic)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

In a talk that's part history lesson, part love letter to graphics, information designer Tommy McCall traces the centuries-long evolution of charts and diagrams -- and shows how complex data can be sculpted into beautiful shapes. "Graphics that help us think faster, or see a book's worth of information on a single page, are the key to unlocking new discoveries," McCall says.

## Lectures

1. [The simple genius of a good graphic](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/tommy_mccall_the_simple_genius_of_a_good_graphic/4f65896d1c95), 6 min (TED's player)