Just to redress the balance a bit, here’s some design I love – the Nottingham tram timetable.

Nottingham Tram timetable

Click to see 1024×768 pixel version. I’ll try to seek out a proper high-res version of this though, a blurry low-light shot doesn’t do it justice.

What I love most about this is the way it combines sheer information density with great aesthetics. From this one timetable alone one can learn: departure and arrival times, nearby attractions, likely positions of all trams right now, with geographical headings, an excellent visual snapshot of the hourly frequency using the stem and leaf method (top left – very Tuftean), instructions on how to use the service, nearby attractions, and connections to other public transport.

In short, it’s so well designed that you barely notice it – and that, I think, is the Holy Grail of good information design.