Analytic Visualization

There are two key models of communication: analytic and photorealistic. Think for a moment about Google Maps: there's an option to view both Map and Satellite modes. Think of the Map mode as your analytic view and the Satellite mode as your photorealistic view. Both views are important depending on what you're trying to communicate. If you're simply trying to understand directional information, the Map view is better. But if you're trying to show someone what something looks like with regard to trees and other real-world features, the Satellite view has obvious advantages.

It's also interesting to note that real-time information is easier to maintain in analytic views. For example, Google Maps has the option to show live ...

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