Infographics: Data made visual
The information age, fueled by the widespread use of the Internet, has generated a vast amount of data that can no longer be handled by traditional means of information representation. The data has become multi-layered, and because of its complexity, traditional methods of data visualization struggle to present complex statistical information in a way that ordinary people can understand.
Combined with people’s decreasing attention span to focus on information, this presents a challenge that requires an innovative way of presenting data with graphical elements.
Fortunately, modern designers and other fields that rely heavily on scientific data have come up with creative and clever ways to visualize complex data sets through what are called infographics, which are used to present data with graphical elements.
Brief history of Infographics
For many years, data was presented primarily in tabular form, with different sections of cells containing statistical or numerical data, much like a spreadsheet. Over time, this method proved difficult to manage as the data grew exponentially and its complexity also increased.
In addition, the spreadsheet format requires someone with statistical knowledge to interpret large data sets, which is usually incomprehensible for lay people to make sense of the information. With the continuous stream of data generation, infographics have been adopted for mass communication and designed in such a way that they can be easily understood by common people irrespective of their educational background.
William Playfair
William Playfair was a political economist and engineer whose books “The Commercial and Political Atlas” published in 1786 and “The Statistical Breviary” of 1801 contain one of the earliest forms of graphical representation of economic data that ushered in the modern use of data visualization.
Playfair is credited with inventing the modern charts and graphs we use today to visualize changes in various types of data over a period of time.
According to Playfair, using data visualization makes it much easier for people to understand numerical or statistical information than the written words traditionally presented in a table format. Playfair’s use of graphs and charts eliminated the need for specialized knowledge to understand complex data sets.
ISOTYPE
International System of Typographic Picture Education (ISOTYPE) is a standardized set of pictorial symbols called “pictograms” developed in the early 1920s. It was primarily used to visually represent socioeconomic data, with the main principle being “visual literacy” to make complex data accessible to lay people.
ISOTYPE was the result of a collaboration between two people, Otto Neurath, who was an Austrian sociologist and economist, and Gerd Antz, who was a German artist.
Applications of Infographics
Infographics use eye-catching, engaging visuals to communicate information quickly and clearly. Infographics have a variety of applications in graphic design, as they can be used practically in many subject areas in different industries.
Infographics are becoming increasingly popular these days as they are a way to present content in new, creative ways. The use of infographics has exploded recently as technology as well as free editing tools are now widely available.
Business Marketing
Successful businesses are always looking for new ways to connect with their customers and tell the story of what they offer. Nowadays, infographics have become a very popular way of accomplishing this goal because it is just an engaging format. It’s really just another form of storytelling where businesses use visuals in place of words to get messages across more vividly and quickly than usual text-based content does on its own.
Product and Service Process
An infographic can be a better alternative to the typical numbered list of step-by-step processes. It is often used to illustrate product design and service production or manufacturing processes. A process infographic is an easy way to visually understand the entire process. Use icons, diagrams, and templates to make sure everyone understands what it’s all about right away.
Weather
Weather forecasters have been using infographics to inform people about the weather for many years. Icons for sunny, rainy, or windy days can be added to reinforce visual emphasis to the forecasted weather for a particular day. Temperature changes can also be added through the use of graphics.
History
With the use of infographics, one can present a timeline to depict historical events and important dates in history in a visual way. Certain dates in history, especially in books, are typically written in a fairly long list and don’t provide much context to what actually happened on those days. By using infographics, designers can include images to add more information and make the design more interesting for readers.
Maps
Infographic maps make use of color coding and simple symbols to show location. It is very useful for tourists visiting a city to show them where the city’s landmarks and popular destinations are located. These types of infographics are also known as wayfinding maps, which are often found in airports, schools, and other places to help people navigate through an area or location.
Governments
Governments are finally catching up with the times and embracing infographics as a way to share statistical data such as census, financial budgets, etc. The use of infographics in government promotes better transparency by making information more accessible for constituents who may not be well versed in statistics or finance.
Transportation
Infographics are a very useful tool to help commuters know what public transportation to take, including trains, busses, and trams, when going in a certain direction. It’s a quick way to show unfamiliar passengers specific routes and locations of stations.
Conclusion
Infographics have exploded in popularity in recent years and the trend continues to grow. Infographics are a highly effective type of design that businesses can take advantage of when promoting their brand, products, and services, increase awareness, and directly engage with their audience by presenting information in a creative and entertaining way.
References
- Morrice, M. (2017). William playfair: Inventor of the bar graph, line graph, and pie chart. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/william-playfair-inventor-bar-graph-line-pie-chart-mike-morrice
- Nediger, M. (2019). What is an infographic? Examples, templates, design tips. Venngage. https://venngage.com/blog/what-is-an-infographic/
- O’Grady, J. V., & O’Grady, K. V. (2008). The Information Design Handbook. F & W Publications/How Books.
- Smiciklas, M. (2012) The power of infographics: Using pictures to communicate and connect with your audiences. Que Publishing.
- Tufte, E. R. (2001). The visual display of quantitative information (Vol. 2). Cheshire, CT: Graphics press.
Hi! Mchael here…👋
Thank you for taking the time to read ’til the end! If you have any questions, inquiries, or suggestions, feel free to drop a comment down below or get in touch with me at hello@poncardas.com or visit my website www.poncardas.com
