Our attention spans have drastically shortened because of the constant stimulus we receive. The human brain is hardwired to process visual information, and it does it much more efficiently than it processes text information.Īnother reason that infographics are so powerful in today’s era of the internet, is that they capture attention. Long before humans invented alphabet systems, they communicated with visuals. However, the common consensus is that data visualizations are a type of infographic, but not all infographics are data visualizations.Įxample of Data Visualization Infographic Some would argue that they are completely different things. There is a lot of debate about the difference between an infographic and data visualization. Tend to be more “numbers heavy” than graphic.The difference is that today’s data visualizations often present huge amounts of information. Many of the early precursors to infographics, such as line graphs and charts, are types of data visualizations.
You’ll be able to ask yourself questions like how many data sets are being presented, and is the infographic trying to elicit a response from me? Considering that infographics have long been used as a propaganda tool, this insight can help you avoid being manipulated with data. They define three main infographic types: Data visualization, information design, and editorial infographics.Īs a consumer, understanding the types of infographics can help you better gauge the value of the information presented. However, I prefer the simpler breakdown of infographic types by Column Five Media. In this classification system, the types overlap each other, such as declarative-exploratory. The Harvard Business Review guide Good Charts lays out four types of infographics: declarative, conceptual, exploratory, and data-driven. These terms are highly subjective, which explains why we still don’t have a widely-agreed upon definition of infographic, nevertheless the types. However, it is hard to find a consensus amongst them.Īs one designer points out, the breakdown of infographic types depends on how you define the different between data, information, and knowledge. There are a lot of design and marketing agencies that have broken down infographics into types. IKEA’s instructions are an example of infographics without any text. Without knowledge, then it is just a graphic and not infographic. Knowledge: The goal of an infographic is to convey information.
Hence why street signs aren’t considered infographics by modern standards. The key term here is complex information. Infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present complex information quickly and clearly. Wikipedia expands on the definition of infographic by saying that, While useful, we generally now appreciate infographics to be more detailed and complex than a simple sign. If we go by this definition of an infographic though, then virtually all types of visual information would be considered an infographic.Įven signs like the one below would be considered an infographic. Definition of InfographicĪccording to Merriam Webster dictionary, an infographic is defined as:Ī chart, diagram, or illustration (as in a book or magazine, or on a website) that uses graphic elements to present information in a visually striking way. Even if your sector hasn’t jumped on the infographic bandwagon, it is likely that you see infographics as you scroll through social media and blogs.ĭespite how widespread infographics are, there is still confusion about what exactly qualifies as an infographic. Whether you work in marketing, research, education, or the non-profit sector, infographics are likely a part of your everyday life.
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