So, You Want to Make an Infographic?

SO, YOU WANT TO МAKE AN INFOGRAPHIC? Infographics, or data visualizations, are one of the most effective ways to communicate information. While they are very useful, and often beautiful, they are most effective when executed with the proper planning and vetting. BRAINSTORMING Work with your teammates to formulate a solid idea for your infographic. These questions should help! What basic Who are Do you want to inform or What's the point of your infographic? How much elements you trying to reach? data do do you want you have? persuade? to use? Brainstorming is the first step of any creative process. Figure out what type of information you have: Is it spatial, chronological, quantitative, or a combination? Identifying your data will help you and the design team determine what type of infographic you need. Before thinking about what the graphic should look like, you should know exactly what the infographic's purpose will be. DATA SELECTION L DIAGRAMS are used to illuillustrate ia timeliné ofevents, sa step-by-step process, or a secsequence oftactions and causal relationships. MAPS are used to demonstrate the location of something in relation to something else, or quantitative data in relation to geographic location. CHARTS are used to show magnitude changes over time, distribution relationships, or organizational process. Selecting the data that will be highlighted should be a joint effort between the Public Affairs team and the team that is supplying the information. Since your team has the experts on the data itself, compile a document with the proposed idea behind the infographic, any brainstorming notes, and all essential data. Use this document as a reference point when you present your idea to Public Affairs. PLANNING & DESIGN Get in touch with your Digital Communications Specialist in Public Affairs, and schedule a meeting to discuss a full-scale communications plan for your infographic. By working closely with Public Affairs and the Digital Team, you can create and execute a plan that will make sure that your infographic gets the right message to the right audience. Once a plan is scheduled and approved, the Digital Team will design your infographic according to the data you provide. DOS & DON'TS DO tell a story. All stories have a beginning, middle and end. When writing the content for your infographic, identify the problem or thesis of your infographic, the data to back it up, and then end the infographic with a conclusion. DON'T contact the designer directly. In order to make sure that every infographic gets the attention and excellent design that it deserves, all requests MUST be approved by Public Affairs before the designer can create artwork. DO take into consideration the outsider's perspective on your data. Prepare as much information as possible, and be ready to answer basic questions about the infographic topic when you meet with Public Affairs. DO your research. Find some infographics that you really like, whether or not they have anything to do with your topic of expertise. Identifiying visual styles that you like will help the designer create a style that fits the purpose of your infographic. DON'T hire an outside designer before contacting Public Affairs. You don't want to pay someone DON'T forget to vet your data, sources, and any companies or organizations mentioned. A quick Google search can save you from cleaning up a big mess. to design a graphic that already exists, or that's already in the works. Communication is key. SO, YOU WANT TO МAKE AN INFOGRAPHIC? Infographics, or data visualizations, are one of the most effective ways to communicate information. While they are very useful, and often beautiful, they are most effective when executed with the proper planning and vetting. BRAINSTORMING Work with your teammates to formulate a solid idea for your infographic. These questions should help! What basic Who are Do you want to inform or What's the point of your infographic? How much elements you trying to reach? data do do you want you have? persuade? to use? Brainstorming is the first step of any creative process. Figure out what type of information you have: Is it spatial, chronological, quantitative, or a combination? Identifying your data will help you and the design team determine what type of infographic you need. Before thinking about what the graphic should look like, you should know exactly what the infographic's purpose will be. DATA SELECTION L DIAGRAMS are used to illuillustrate ia timeliné ofevents, sa step-by-step process, or a secsequence oftactions and causal relationships. MAPS are used to demonstrate the location of something in relation to something else, or quantitative data in relation to geographic location. CHARTS are used to show magnitude changes over time, distribution relationships, or organizational process. Selecting the data that will be highlighted should be a joint effort between the Public Affairs team and the team that is supplying the information. Since your team has the experts on the data itself, compile a document with the proposed idea behind the infographic, any brainstorming notes, and all essential data. Use this document as a reference point when you present your idea to Public Affairs. PLANNING & DESIGN Get in touch with your Digital Communications Specialist in Public Affairs, and schedule a meeting to discuss a full-scale communications plan for your infographic. By working closely with Public Affairs and the Digital Team, you can create and execute a plan that will make sure that your infographic gets the right message to the right audience. Once a plan is scheduled and approved, the Digital Team will design your infographic according to the data you provide. DOS & DON'TS DO tell a story. All stories have a beginning, middle and end. When writing the content for your infographic, identify the problem or thesis of your infographic, the data to back it up, and then end the infographic with a conclusion. DON'T contact the designer directly. In order to make sure that every infographic gets the attention and excellent design that it deserves, all requests MUST be approved by Public Affairs before the designer can create artwork. DO take into consideration the outsider's perspective on your data. Prepare as much information as possible, and be ready to answer basic questions about the infographic topic when you meet with Public Affairs. DO your research. Find some infographics that you really like, whether or not they have anything to do with your topic of expertise. Identifiying visual styles that you like will help the designer create a style that fits the purpose of your infographic. DON'T hire an outside designer before contacting Public Affairs. You don't want to pay someone DON'T forget to vet your data, sources, and any companies or organizations mentioned. A quick Google search can save you from cleaning up a big mess. to design a graphic that already exists, or that's already in the works. Communication is key.