Is Software Design mostly Graphic Design?

Today I stumbled upon an excellent essay proposing a new paradigm for software design:

Magic Ink - Information Software and the Graphical Interface

Author Bret Victor argues we've been using Industrial Design as the wrong paradigm for software design. He splits user-facing software in three categories:

• Information Software
• Manipulation Software
• Communication Software

He then proceeds to argue that "Most software is information software" and that "Information software design is graphic design".

The essay uses beautiful visual examples to show how Tufte's "Show the Data" principle can be used to reduce the need for interactivity in user-facing software.

Endearingly, his Movie Showings redesign example shows a movie called "The Little Schemer" with actors Car, Cdr, Cons and Cond, a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the deservedly well-known compsci classic book of the same name:

Comments

[Vorzie Studios - Santa Rosa Graphic Design]

Well Bert Victor is incorrect with his statements. Speaking as the head of a graphics and web design firm it is clear to this individual that there is a completely different thought process in information software than in graphic design.