I took an English class in college which was titled “Cybertexts and Cybermedia” and proclaimed to be “an exploration of the changing face of textuality in an online era”. Now that I look back at the class in 2001, it was so far ahead of its time!

The professor called it “information space” and that is what it really seems to be more and more. He had us “look at a variety of new technologies while gaining an appreciation of the rich and diverse forms of textuality made manifest in existing and emerging electronic environments.”

It is awesome when a forward-thinking English professor can so fundamentally reshape the way I look at and approach design (even if mostly information design). The web has really opened the doors for the possibilities of how we share data and even tell a story. No longer does it have to be page by page or left to right. As you state, the challenge really rest with the designer, how can we physically created these experiences that will be both meaningful and engaging. The right user experience is truly the key!