Good information design is an elegant combination of art and science. Done well it can communicate an enormous amount of information incredibly quickly. It can make even the most complex and obtuse data easy to digest.
And is there anything more complex than the U.S. economy (other than the plot of Lost)? So it was no small sense of wonder we felt when we came upon this chart that is updated in real time.
While the graphic design may leave a little something to be desired, it manages to tell a huge and daunting tale in one browser window. If you can get past the whole “end of the world vibe” it throws off, it is quite an inspiration to any marketer struggling with a complex story of their own to tell.