Workshop at International Design in Government Conference http://international.gov-design.com/ License: CC Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License

1. Designing Infographics
workshop
Vosnier Cambeses Polanco
Web designer at the Council of the EU
@vosnier

2. Let’s break the ice!
# Who are you?
# Where do you work?
# Any concrete experience with infographics?

3. Summary
#01 — What’s an Infographic
#02 — Use cases
#03 — What makes an effective infographic?
#05 — Steps for creating an infographic
#06 — Exercises
#07 — Additional considerations
#08 — Main takeaways

4. What’s an Infographic?

5. Infographics compile symbols and
data visualisation with short-form
text to tell a cohesive story “
Amy Balliet
“

6. Data visualisation vs Infographics
ISOTYPE 'The Great War' by Otto Neurath

8. Use cases
# Explain a complex process
# Illustrate a flow or relationship
# Reinforce key points
# Highlight an achievement
# Support decision making

11. What makes an effective
infographic?

13. An effective infographic...
# tells a story
# sends a key message
# is visually appealing
(Just like any other piece of communication)

14. An effective infographic tells story

15. Your brain on facts
Human beings prefer narrative
Your brain on stories
Source: Digital Storytelling At Minneapolis Institute of Art

17. An effective infographic sends a key
message
Communicate from
inside out
Ask yourself:
# WHY are you making this
infographic?
# WHY are you telling this to your
audience?
# WHY should anyone care?
The Golden Circle, Simon Sinek

19. almost
50%
of your brain is involved in
visual processing
An effective infographic is visual
appealing

21. Steps for creating an infographic

22. Start with a briefing questionnaire
# Who is your AUDIENCE?
# What is your GOAL
# What is your MESSAGE?

23. # Exercise:
Instinctive critical evaluations
Spend max. 30 sec assessing this infographic.
What one word describes how you initially feel about it?

24. Define the tone and mood
# The right tone of voice get you on board
# Colour, typefaces and feeling is what they will see first, then the data.

25. The layout –make your key point stand
out
The attention filter (www.gapminder.org)

26. Create a visual hierarchy and a focal point

27. Keep it simple and use contrast to draw
attention

28. Stick to common conventions and metaphors
@xocasgv #DistractedBoyfriend

31. .. And use colour wisely
The importance of colour (www.stephenwildish.co.uk)

32. # Exercise:
Instinctive visual representations
3,2,1…

33. Exercise 2 – Infographics thinking
Based on the information you’ve received:
➯ Define the audience and a call-to-action
➯ Define your core message and the mood
➯ Focus on what story you want to convey and what data will
engage your audience.
➯ Create a rough sketch.

34. Gapminder Foundation - Will saving poor children lead to overpopulation?

35. Design for inclusion
# Think about how users with specific accessibility needs will view it
Source: cruxcollaborative.com

36. Test it!
# User testing
# Analytics
# Heat maps
# Google reverse search

37. Leave room for iterations
# Information often need to be edited down
to its most essential components
# Collaboration between a content expert
and a visual designer is key

38. # Variations that support the whole outreach
# Print-friendly versions
# Requests from users for a high-resolution version
to be included in publications
# Translations to other language
Expect follow up requests:

39. Main takeaways
# An infographic is a type of data visualization with specific goals.
# An effective infographic tells a story, have a clear key message
and is visually appealing
# Know your audience and goals to get the right tone and mood
# Start with a briefing questionnaire when planning for a
infographic
# Test it!

40. Questions?
@vosnier