ADVANCED DIPLOMA in

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Designing an infographic is not the same as designing a website, flier, brochure, etc.

Even some of the best designers, with portfolios that would make you drool,
cannot execute an effective infographic design.

Creating infographics is a challenge and requires a mind-set that does not come
naturally to everyone.

But that mind-set can be gained through practice and by sticking to certain
standards, the most important of which is to respect and understand data viz.
Because people share their interests with those people they know are similarly
interested in a given topic, infographics are an efficient way of gaining the attention
of a particular audience.
Infographics have become popular because they present often complex
information in an easy and quick to digest format in a compelling way.

People are being overwhelmed with information, so anything that simplifies

complexity and saves time will be appealing.

Infographics do that.

4 out of 5 people are visual Learners

Because they are so compelling, they are often passed on through email,
social media and blogs.
Design is the most important part of an infographic. If it is not appealing
visually, it will not likely gain traction.

Most infographics have a common visual theme, employing a consistent

colour palette, charts, icons and graphics.

The best infographics maintain a graceful visual flow from top to bottom.

Typography is often chosen carefully to enhance the theme of the

infographic.
Sometimes, though, the point of focus will be on a graphic in the centre of
the infographic,
Infographics make complex information eye catching, shareable and easily digestible.

Most importantly, they play a crucial role in the increasingly visual world of marketing.

Did you know that adding images to your Facebook posts can generate up to 65% more
interaction from your fans?
Shapes help contain your content and create visual focus. Numbers and
statistics are the heart of powerful infographics – make sure they stand out!
Ever needed to present weekly statistics or work, or tried pitching a new
business idea to investors? Whatever the case, using visuals to represent
facts and figures gives you the greatest chance of creating impact.

If your survey or data reveals an extremely high or significant statistic, this is

a great opportunity to grab your viewers attention by adding visual
emphasis.
Allow your viewer’s eyes to pass seamlessly over your design by creating a
visual index. This is a great way to break down complex information, or
create a visual narrative.

Because your index will link together, make sure you use your visual assets
consistently.
Increase the impact of your infographics using colour.
Go for bright colours that jump of the screen and
increase the chance of getting your information noticed.
As well as using shapes, illustrations and icons to create your infographics,
map your information where relevant using lines. Make sure you use a
simple line that doesn’t take away from your other visual elements.
People are visual. In fact, we only remember 20% of what we read.

Just imagine all of the important things you read on a daily basis and shrink
that down to less than a fourth of what you started with.

We’re visual because our brains are, 90% of what the brain processes is
visual in one way or another, and we process it much faster than we do text.
Whether you’re responsible for finding all of it or it’s handed over to
you, odds are, you’ll be sifting through a ton of information.

It’s important to not just skim over it, some interesting data can be
hiding inside all of that text – it’s your job to find it.

The information is the most important part, making this the most
important step. It is what builds your infographic, after all.
Make sure all of the information that will be going into your infographic is
credible.

Just like all of those papers you had to write in school, your infographic is
only as credible as its least credible source.

Don’t get yourself into trouble by displaying inaccurate information.

A wireframe is just a skeleton of what you’re working with.

You should always make it before you begin designing.

Laying out where everything will go in advance (including text and images) will
save you time and frustration.

Using a wireframe will allow you to see if everything flows nicely and makes sense.
Some information will need to be depicted in a certain way.

Don’t use a format just for the sake of using that format, try to
get creative.

You can show information in all kinds of ways, like diagrams, pie
charts, flow charts, and maps (really the list goes on and on).
Having a clear message will result in a successful infographic.

Make sure your story is ready to go when you begin your

wireframes, you should never start designing until you know
what you’re trying to say.

The story should dictate the design, not the other way around.
Be sure the voice of your infographic matches the subject
matter.

If it’s serious, be serious. If it’s light-hearted, be light-hearted

(you get the picture).

If the voice doesn’t match that can be confusing for the reader,
and infographics are all about being easy to understand.
When you have the opportunity to show something visually, take
it (remember, we pay more attention when it’s visual).

Don’t rely on fancy typography as a crutch. Utilise illustrations,

charts, icons, and graphics as much as you can, it creates more
visual interest.
Typography is still an important part of infographics when it’s
needed.

Make sure the typefaces complement each other as well as the

graphics you’re using. Type should never detract from your
visuals.
Most infographics will be viewed online, so consider colours that
work well on a screen. Avoid bright neon colours that can cause
stress to the eyes when viewed online. Keep in mind the
majority of social media sites your infographic could be shared
on have white backgrounds. Choose a contrasting colour to make
sure it doesn’t get lost.

Determine a colour palette that works. Sticking with three

colours is a good rule. If you need more, add shades and tints of
the ones you’re working with. If you have trouble coming up
with your own colour schemes, there are a lot of online
resources that create colours schemes for you.
It is important to let the information breathe.

The more white space the less the viewer feels overwhelmed.

Don’t overcrowd. Stay organized and it will make a cleaner

design, which is more approachable and easier to follow.
Infographic creation is hard work, go ahead and take a break.

Sometimes projects are incredibly lengthy and time involving,

and sometimes you just aren’t into the subject matter
personally.

Stepping away for a few moments can keep you from making
poor decisions (like rushing through to finish).

Come back with fresh eyes and you will feel more inspired.
Information overload is overwhelming. Don’t put in anything
unnecessary.

Try to break it down into six main points at most, and break it
down even farther into sections if you need to.
Waiting until you’re finished to test out your infographic could
result in having to start over.

Ask people to take a look at what you’ve been doing to make

sure it makes sense.

If only you understand what it’s saying, it’s not doing the job of
infographic very well.
Infographics are most likely shared online, which means there is
always an online discussion after it’s been published.

Make changes as they’re needed when they’re brought to your

attention.

Correct any inaccurate information and update as needed,

especially when the subject matter is ever changing.
A rule of cinema is to show, don’t tell. The same
holds true for infographic design.

The foundation of any good infographic is data

viz. As an infographic designer, you may or may
not determine the concept and compile all of the
research for the final design, but either way you
are responsible for turning that information into a
visually stimulating, cohesive design that tells a
story and that doesn’t miss a single opportunity to
visualize data.
It might sound harsh, but it’s true. If infographics were as simple as laying
out a bunch of standard charts and graphs on a page, then clients would
not need to search out great designers.

Many tools are online that can create colourful pie charts, line graphs
and bar graphs, so you have to take things to the next level for your
design to stand out. Taking the data from above, which of the two graphs
below do you think would make a client happier?
Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and produce a traditional bar
graph or pie chart; nevertheless, always consider ways to dress it up.
Typography can make or break a design, but it should
not be the solution to a data viz problem.

More often than not, designers begin an infographic

with a great deal of energy and excitement, but they
lose steam fast as they continue down the page.

This often leads to quick decisions and poor solutions,

like using typography to show off a big number instead
of visualizing it in some way.
All that being said, typography does have its uses, which should not be
ignored when creating an infographic.

Most of the time, you will want to focus your creative typographical
energies on titles and headings.

The title of the infographic is a perfect opportunity to use a fun and eye-
catching font and to give it a treatment that fits the theme or topic. Just
make sure the title isn’t so distracting that it takes away from the reason
we are looking at the infographic in the first place. The truth of the
matter is that some infographic topics are boring, but the right title
design can engage people enough to scroll through.

Similarly, headings help to break up an infographic and make the data

easier to take in,.
Organising an infographic in a way that makes sense
and that keeps the viewer interested is not always
easy, but it’s part of the job for most infographic
designers.

Usually, you will be given a lot of data and will need to

create a visual story out of it. This can be challenging
at first, but you can follow some general rules to make
things easier.
Wireframing an infographic enables you to work out a storyboard and
layout for the design.

You may have an idea of the story you want to tell, but as you start laying
things out, you might hit a wall and have to start over. Having to reorganize
after having already done a lot of the design is incredibly frustrating.

Avoid this by setting up your storyline at the start to determine what data to
show and how. Set aside an hour to sketch things out and make sure it all
makes sense.

This will also help to ensure that the colour palette you will choose drives
attention to the important points and keeps the eye flowing down the page.
.
As you wireframe the infographic, you will identify section breaks that
help to tell the story. Most infographics online have a vertical flow, in
which each section has a heading to distinguish it from the last. This
gets boring fast. Organizing the data and sectioning off information
without relying entirely on headings and colour breaks is a good way
to break the monotony.

For instance, rather than going for a typical one-column layout, you
could use two columns in certain parts. You could also break up
sections with borders, with backgrounds of different shapes or give
the entire design a road or path theme.
Every good infographic has a hook or primary take-away that makes
the viewer say “A-ha!” As a designer, you should make this hook the
focal point of the design if at all possible.

Placing the hook at either the centre or very end of the infographic is
usually best, so that it grabs more attention.

Give the most important information the most visual weight, so that
viewers know what to take away.
 Dominant dark colours and neon's typically do not translate
well on infographics; neon on black can be hard to read, and if
there is a lot of data, taking it all in will be a challenge. Also,
avoid white as a background whenever possible. Infographics
are often shared on multiple websites and blogs, most of
• which have white backgrounds. If your infographic’s
background is also white, then deciphering where it begins

• and ends will be difficult.

• A THREE-COLOR PALETTE IS EASY ON THE EYES

With all of the data that goes into an infographic, make sure
that the reader’s eye easily flows down the page; the wrong
colour palette can be a big barrier to this. Choose a palette
that doesn’t attack the senses. And consider doing this before
you start designing, because it will help you determine how to
visualize the various elements.

If picking a colour palette is hard for you, stick to the rule of

three. Choose three primary colours. Of the three, one should
be the background colour (usually the lightest of the three),
and the other two should break up the sections. If you need to
add other colours, use shades of the three main colours. This
will keep the palette cohesive and calming, rather than jarring.
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