I was browsing Basheer when I chanced upon Steven Heller’s working biography with Nigel Homes, the former Graphics Director of Time Magazine for just $10!

Not only was it a bargain, it was am enlightening and a breeze to read. Set in a question-and-answer format, Nigel takes Steven and the reader through his thoughts about how he got to do what he was doing, what information design is all about and how he does his work.

A trademark in Nigel’s work is a touch of wit and light-heartedness with “metaphoric” elements that some critics would say distract readers from the information graphic. But Nigel defends his approach:

“A good approach to information graphics includes an appeal to the reader, immediately followed by a true account of the story… I want to make room for enjoyment, delight, aesthetic appreciation and wit, and a friendly “you can understand this” approach.”

Published in 2006, Nigel Holmes: On Information Design, is a great book to find out what goes behind the thinking of this “explanation designer” (as he would like to called). In the spirit of his work, Nigel has even drew a graphic about what it takes to be an information designer: