You Oughta Be In Pictures

The Conversation Prism by Brian Solis and Jesse Thomas

Learning Social media is like measuring Koch’s curve. It’s an infinite space within a finite space similar to our digital universe.

Digital is not only continually creating new tools, apps, channels and mediums but the way they interact in utility seems to expand them until the possibilities are endless. Add that to the always-expanding pathways that connect these mediums and agencies can find it hard to navigate ourselves, let alone map out a plan for others to navigate upon.

One thing I have found very useful are infographics that layout the digital ecosphere. Good ones are few and far between and even the leading infographic artists are having to grapple with this task.

Two of my favorite presenters in this arena are Brian Solis and David Armano.

Brian Solis is the Principal of FutureWorks, blogs at PR2.0, bub.blicio.us, and is a prolific writer.

Two of my favorite recent images of his include:

• The Social Marketing Compass reflects the value system that the brand expression can reach through various social spaces.
• The Conversation Prism (at the top of this post) charts online conversations between the people that populate communities, as well as, the networks that connect the Social Web.

David Armano writes the blog Logic + Emotion which is ranked in the top 10 media + marketing blogs according to Advertising Age. He has been cited by Forrester, The Boston Globe and BusinessWeek and has the best assembled collection of infographics on FlickR called L+E Visual Thinking Archive.

Doesn't it seem clearer already? These guys generously share there work. Now let's extend their work, find enlightenment and bring on the baked-in, info-graphic crowd sourcing. Better yet, let's bring these kaleidoscopes to life.