Figure with Checkmark: Image courtesy of [Master isolated images] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Infographic of Infographics: Image courtesy of Ivan Cash http://bit.ly/zIPIrp
Recommendation 1: Infographics are about changing data into knowledge in a palatable format. Keep in mind,and incorporate the 3 basics of communication when designing an Infographic:
Recommendation 2: Brush up on design 'rules', ask for feedback and take it. A poorly designed or executed infographic can be worse for your image than not doing one at all.
Recommendation 3: Cite your sources! Keep your data credible by adding the 'whole story' to your distilled format.
This section is dedicated to communicating the Library's value through infographics.
What's an Infographic?
Infographics are a method to communicate information through the use of graphics with minimal text, and may also be commonly referred to as a means of 'data visualization'. They can help distill and simplify complex data or information into a more palatable, fun and asthetically pleasing format.
Although not a new concept, new open-source tools and social media have made using them very popular. Though infographics can facilitate understanding many levels of data and information in just a few images, they can also be overused or misused. It is easy to 'skew' the story with an infographic. My mother always used to say "Figures don't lie, but liars can figure" meaning, though the chart or graph may be 'technically' true, the author can easily have manipulated it by withholding the whole story contained within the larger data set. It's therefore very important to still cite or reference the various parts of an infographic.
In a nutshell: Infographics are a method to translate data into knowledge via a visual 'story'
Want more background? Check out Piktochart's interactive tutorial on Infographic basics