I liked Karen’s inspiring post about infographics and would like to follow that up with some added thoughts.
Anyone can find research online and flow it into a bar or pie chart. It takes thoughtful craftsmanship to review data and compile a design with a distinct look and point of view.
I have four criteria for a successful infographic:
1. Design – If it’s not visually interesting, no one will look at it. Sketch it first – consider the fonts, colors and layout you plan to use. The overall look may vary but it should always be visually pleasing and easy to read. Plus, stand out from the crowd, push the envelope, present information in a way that is surprising, but makes sense.
2. Data – Make it relavent. If it’s not relavent, who cares about it. It should be meaningful information presented in a visual way that makes you want to share it with others.
3. Point of view – An infographic must educate and persuade you.
4. Location – Place graphics with information that is related and relavent to it. Sounds simple enough, but you can often find infographics separated from the text they support or without any supporting text on the page at all. If you ever think to yourself, “Why is that there?” Then it probably should NOT be.
Here are a few of my recent favorites … many were done by our own Design Team.
