Infographics
The Power and the Danger of Bringing Data to the Masses
What's in a name?
According to Visual.ly, infographics are different in that they "have a flow to them. They're data visualizations that present complex information quickly and clearly.... Wherever you have deep data presented in visual shorthand, you have an infographic."
What Infographics Need...
- visualizations that present complex information quickly and clearly
- visualizations that integrate words and graphics to reveal information, patterns or trends
- visualizations that are easier to understand than words alone
- visualizations that are beautiful and engaging
Players in Infographic History
John Graunt (1620-1674)
Began using descriptive statistics in his work during the height of the plague in England. His Bills of Mortality listed the causes of death and the number of dead each week to warn people of their risk. Pictures and statistics helped make information interesting and readable. Although who wouldn't be waiting to see their chances of death!
William Playfair (1759-1823)
William Playfair, considered the grandfather of Infographics, worked with presenting graphical statistics. He is known for a work called The Commercial and Political Atlas, published in 1786 which represented the economy of England through graphs, charts. ("History of Infographics")
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)
Although best known for her work as a nurse, after the Crimean War she spent time trying to improve the health of the British Army. Using the same pie charts that Playfair made famous, she presented dated in a readable form to Parliament. (Rogers)
Where Are We Now?
Google Trending: Interest in Infographics on the Rise
The Good...
- Original data from direct research
- Data from reliable sources and studies
- Data that withstands evaluation
(Gunelius)
The Bad...
- Flimsy research
- Erroneous statements
- Miscalculation of data
- Exaggerating to make a point
And the Ugly...
- Misrepresenting data on purpose to manipulate audience
- Ulterior motive of creator
- Cherry-picking data to sway an audience
Types of Infographics
USA Today Snapshots
Statistical Infographic
Timeline Infographic
Informa-tional Infographic
Process Infographic
Gameboard Metaphor
Kathy Schrock's "Steps to Create Your Infographic"
Tools to Create Your Own Infographics
Works Cited
Gunelius, Susan. "The Truth About Infographics." AYTM: Ask Your Target Market. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2012.
Ha, Anthony. "Infographic Overload?: Viewed by Some as the Scourge of the Web, a Well-Executed Infographic can Effectively Tell a Marketer's Story." AdWeek 11 Jan. 2012: n. pag. AdWeek. Web. 19 Dec. 2012.
"History of Infographics." Visual.ly. Visual.ly, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2012.
Infographic of Infographics. Dir. Tom Wallis. Prod. Zabisco. YouTube. YouTube, 30 Sept. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
McArdle, Megan. "Ending the Infographic Plague." The Atlantic 23 Dec. 2011: n. pag. The Atlantic. Web. 19 Dec. 2012.
"Post Grad Price Tag." Infographic. Course Hero. Course Hero, 8 Nov. 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.
Rogers, Simon. "Florence Nightingale, Datajournalist: Information Has Always Been Beautiful." The Guardian [London] 13 Aug. 2010: n. pag. Web. 19 Dec. 2012.
Schrock, Kathy. "Infographics as a Creative Assessment." Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything. N.p., 17 Dec. 2012. Web. 19 Dec. 2012.
- - -. "Steps to Create Your Infographic." Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything: Infographics. N.p., 16 Feb. 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2013.
"Sir William Petty." Fine Art. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 15 Dec 2012.
Title Page Of Mortality Bill For London For 1664/5, Covering Part Of The Period Of The Great Plague. John Graunt (1620-1674) Based His Statistical Analysis On These Weekly And Yearly Tables..Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest. Web. 15 Dec 2012.