Infographics!
Lately, I've been quite obsessed over infographics because I feel that we're living in an information-overloaded society. How often do we sit in a presentation and a lot of data is presented? The same goes for all the metrics reporting we're asked to do on spreadsheets. Sometimes, there's so much data and information that our brain turns numb. It's inefficient and yet we're always looking for new ways to capture more data and more information.
Information needs to and CAN BE presented in an user-friendly and appealing way. That's where infographics come in. It's the concept of the "ideas, issues, knowledge and data being visualized!" (David McCandless, The Visual Miscellaneum) The right amounts of information and design can be combined to successfully convey a point.
"Charts and Graphs Can Communicate Data; Infographs Turn Data into Information" - Randy Krum, Coolinfographics.com
There are variations of how it looks like but typically:
- Holds stats and main insights of the idea being conveyed by the author
- Presents ideas in a concise and intuitive manner
- Makes the reader think and realize what the big picture is
- Are visually appealing
- Are easy to understand
- Have the potential to be cross-cultural and cross-language
Source: http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/2009/interesting-easy-beautiful-true/
Want Links to Good Infographic Sites?
I'm still going through David McCandless's Visual Miscellaneum. He's the guy behind the Information is Beautiful website. If you're thinking about getting the book, feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to share with you my two cents on it.
See you all in two weeks.
