Dr. Ben Shneiderman’s “information seeking mantra” is a foundational guideline in the field of data visualization. The mantra consists of three key elements:

• Overview first
• Zoom and filter
• Details on demand

This mantra exemplifies the adage that the goal of data visualization is insight, not pictures, in the following ways:

Insight over Aesthetics: The mantra prioritizes understanding and exploration of data over the mere presentation of visually appealing graphics. By first giving an overview, users can grasp the context and scope of the data. Zooming and filtering then help to isolate significant patterns or anomalies, and details on demand allow for in-depth analysis where necessary. This approach ensures that the visualization serves as a tool for gaining insight rather than just creating attractive images.

Interactive Engagement: The mantra emphasizes interaction, encouraging users to engage with the data actively. This interactive process fosters deeper comprehension and allows users to uncover insights through exploration and manipulation of the data, rather than passively viewing static images.

Contextual Understanding: By providing different levels of data granularity (overview, zoom/filter, and details), the mantra ensures that users can understand both the big picture and the finer details. This multi-layered approach helps users to see relationships and trends that might be missed in a simple, static visualization.

This last one is similar to the McCandless Method of David McCandless. The McCandless Method suggests that you start with broad, general ideas and then work your way into the details.