Since publishing his first book at the age of 26, Richard Saul Wurman has employed spatial reasoning and visual design principles to make complex data understandable. Wurman's pioneering work in architecture, visualization, and cartography converged in his invention of the field of Information Architecture in 1976, and his indelible contributions to the design of conversation and the art of gathering are exemplified in his creation of signature conferences including TED, TEDMED, e.g., and Intellectual Jazz.

Wurman is the author of more than 100 books, was co-owner and publisher of the acclaimed ACCESS guidebook series, is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, recipient of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum Lifetime Achievement Award, and a two-time Guggenheim and Graham Foundation grantee. He’s a member of AGI and the Art Director's Hall of Fame, winner of the Kevin Lynch Award from MIT, the Esri Making a Difference Award, the James Joyce Award from University College Dublin, and has taught architecture at Cambridge, Columbia, MIT, Penn, Princeton, UCLA, UNC/NCSU, and USC.

In 2017, Wurman was honored with the Ladislav Sutnar Prize for performance in fine arts. In 2019 he received the Star Award from the Interior Design Association, and has collected gold medals from the University Pennsylvania, the AIGA, and from Trinity College Dublin for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse.

Richard lives in Golden Beach, Florida with his wife, novelist Gloria Nagy.