Infographics are all the rage. But what is an infographic? Well, an infographic is a visual representation of information, knowledge or data that’s intended to present complex material quickly and concisely. Infographics give credence to the saying: “A picture is worth a thousand words” so why not use these 5 tips to make sure your infographic gets your message across.
Gather all data
Preparation is key, so start of by collecting all the data you need before anything else. Make sure it’s relevant and appeals to your audience.
Find the narrative
What is the central message or theme that you want your infographic to convey? Or is there a specific problem you want to clear up for your audience? Have the central goal in mind when sifting through the data you’ve collected.
Identify the problem and build a framework
Now that you’ve identified the main problem, theme or message you want to get across to your audience, you can build your infographic around it. You can build your message around that vital piece of information or you can make grouped themes that surround an overall umbrella message. Whatever option you choose, select the most important and engaging titbits and build from there.
Format and visualise
Choose a visual format that matches your message. The type of visuals you choose is often guided by the data you are trying to illustrate. Be inventive, an infographic is supposed to be informative and visually appealing. There are two approaches you could use to help you decide. The first is to just make the raw data look beautiful. The second option is to use metaphors or illustrations to get your message across.
Refine, test and release!
After you’ve created your first version, test it on colleagues to see what their opinion is on your infographic. You can refine it as many times as necessary. Test, test and test again until you’re happy with it. Then release your infographic into the wild.
