The Crisis of Credit Visualized distills the economic crisis into a short and simple story by giving it form. It is an example of how research, information design and expository writing come together to model a complex situation and communicate it to others. The piece works as an expository visual essay that sets up a visual language, which it then layers and remixes to help the audience comprehend a wide range of related ideas, from leverage to subprime mortgages. Complex concepts like these are attached to simple graphic forms, like a box or bomb. Once the association between the concept (abstract) and the form (representational) is established, the graphics can then be assembled in a narrative. The narrative goes on to draw clear relationships between the graphics, setting up a framework into which the concepts can be inserted and understood. 

Making sense of the complex should be the hallmark of every designer. Jonathan made clear a subject we’re still trying to figure out.