I had the distinct pleasure this morning of engaging in a somewhat quirky and energetic phone conversation with Richard Saul Wurman. Wurman is the person who, back in the 1970s, coined the term “information architect.” He casts himself as an iconoclast, doing only what he wants to do. For example, he says that the TED talks he started were an “indulgence”—not a concept.

If you do not know him, you should. Richard has recently completed his 82nd book (I own INFORMATIONANXIETY2 and a few others). He is an accomplished guy who has done a lot to help make information more accessible, and now has the freedom to do exactly what he wants. I am envious of his current projects—he has a deal with Nissan to put together 40 short (90-second) web films. He partners with radicalmedia (of “The Fog of War,” among others) and ESRI on www.192021.com. He still owns TEDMed (he sold TED).

When he sent me a note after seeing our print, A Visual History of the Supreme Court, I was delighted at the opportunity to talk. Our conversation topics ranged quite a bit, but a couple of things stuck with me: first, about career choice: you “have to know it is the right thing to do;” and second, about information: “to embrace ignorance.” When I mentioned to him, in response to one of his projects on population, that the world’s growing population was definitely a problem, he responded quickly that the problem is one “of understanding.”

All in all, it was a conversation that I would love to continue in person.