Visual Communication through Infographics

Visual Communication through Infographics Ecaterina Valicã http://students.info.uaic.ro/~evalica “A. I. Cuza” University of Iaşi, Romania Faculty of Computer Science Visual Communication through Infographics

Information Design ● Ubiquitous ● Where do we see information design? ● roadway signage when you're driving; ● the map you use to plan your journey; ● the simplest brochure for a product or service; ● instructions on your prescription bottle; ● new product assembly and usage guides for toys, furniture, etc; Visual Communication through Infographics

Information Design ● Uses pictures, symbols, colors, and words to communicate ideas, illustrate information or express relationships visually ● It implies: – filtering the information, – establishing relationships, – discerning patterns and representing them in a manner that enables a consumer of that information construct meaningful knowledge. Visual Communication through Infographics

Infographic ● Initially used in newspaper ● Provides a summarized, colorful and quick overview to everyday news ● Condenses big amounts of information in a small space ● USA Today, the paradigm of “visual newspaper” ● Weather page, designed by George Rorick Visual Communication through Infographics

Infographic ● It's a visual explanation that helps you more easily understand, find or do something. ● It's visual, and when necessary, integrates words and pictures in a fluid, dynamic way. ● It stands alone and is completely self explanatory. ● It reveals information that was formerly hidden or submerged. Visual Communication through Infographics

Infographic ● There is no better way to display large sets of data than with a good statistical chart, or to provide geographical context to a story with a map Charts and graphs can communicate data ● Infographics turn data into information ● Visual Communication through Infographics

Infographic ● We’ll use hybrid to describe a single visual that incorporates two or more visualization types (rather than subjects) ● Whereas a hybrid combines multiple graphic types within a single visualization, an infographic combines multiple visualizations, (often including text blocks), within a singly viewed narrative composition. Visual Communication through Infographics

Infographic ● People understand pictures faster and more easily than words ● You can communicate complex ideas instantly ● Words need to be translated, while pictures are a universal form of communication ● The main purpose is to show facts that would not be tellable otherwise Visual Communication through Infographics

Infographic ● Representation provides the basis for all communication ● We can convey ideas about things that are not materially in our presence only by calling forth an appropriate mental representation ● While words and sentences are part of the verbal communication system, images and graphical representations form the visual communication system. Visual Communication through Infographics

Infographic ● The visualverbal dichotomy [nothing can belong simultaneously to both parts] “This is a square” ● Images make identification easy ● When word and image collide, as in this case, the image dominates perception and it is impossible to read the caption (“this is a square”) without first recognizing the circle. Visual Communication through Infographics

Infographic ● Pictorial representations cross social and linguistic boundaries with ease ● However they are dependant upon the culture in which their meaning is established ● Graphics and texts are complements, not exclusive ● Because infographics use a combination of images, words, and numbers, operate in a hybrid system of both the verbal and the visual. Visual Communication through Infographics

Wordless Diagrams ● Nigel Holmes: \"explanation graphics\" ● Display knowledge how to do things Visual Communication through Infographics

● Google Chrome (September 2008) used infographics to explain the complex inner workings Visual Communication through Infographics

Google Insights for Search – You can compare search volume patterns across specific regions, categories, and time frames. – A more advanced extension to Google Trends ● Potential business uses: ● examining seasonality, ● comparing synonyms, ● finding regions that are interested in a certain product. Visual Communication through Infographics

Google Insights for Search Answers to questions: ● what are the most popular cars in the US this year? ● what are the top searches in France for the past 30 days? Visual Communication through Infographics

Google Finance ● Information for Google Inc Visual Communication through Infographics

Google Chart Sparklines Map charts Radar charts Visual Communication through Infographics

Google Chart http://chart.apis.google.com/ Chs size in pixels chart? Chd chart's data chs=250x100 Cht chart's type &chd=t:60,40 Chl chart's label &cht=p3 &chl=Hello|World Visual Communication through Infographics

Google Visualization Motion chart Gadget Gallery Eureka Gadget Time Series Chart Visual Communication through Infographics

Google Visualization ● Integrate in Google Spreadsheets Visual Communication through Infographics

Geographical Distribution ● The best infographics department in the world: The New York Times ● Map with infographic artist around the world Visual Communication through Infographics

Thank you Visual Communication through Infographics

Links ● http://www.visualcomplexity.com ● http://www.flickr.com/groups/856209@N23/ ● http://infographicsnews.blogspot.com ● http://www.meryl.net/2008/01/175dataandinformatio ● http://www.tomcarden.co.uk/2008/04/16/datavisualis ● http://the.taoofmac.com/space/Visualization Visual Communication through Infographics

Visual Communication through Infographics

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