One of the basic laws of quantum mechanics is that information can never entirely be lost, only assume other forms. One of the most exciting forms information can take is that of the infographic, and over the past 12 months, Co.Design has covered some of the prettiest, most innovative design permutations information can take as part of our Infographic Of The Day series.
Over the course of the year, we saw infographics on a wide range of subjects, including 20th-century camera and sneaker design, house alliances of The Game Of Thrones, a colorwheel of cheeses, undersea internet cabling, beard typography, Batman symbols, and much, much more.
For years, marketers without a lick of design sense were slapping clip art on any data set that came their way and calling the finished poster an infographic. In 2013, there was a backlash against shoddy infographics. Perhaps that's why it feels like this year's data viz design is the most sophisticated, and the most accessible, yet: infographics don't have to be stupid anymore to be for everyone.
For your end-of-year perusal, we've collected 21 of our favorite infographics of 2013 in the slide show above. On the data viz front, we can't wait to see what 2014 has in store. Enjoy!
Check out the top 20 ads of 2013, from our pals over at Co.Create.