Creating Stunning Infographics

What’s old is new again. Prehistoric cave dwellers used drawings to tell stories that combined information and data. Today, when images and information come together we call them infographics.

Today’s guest author, Gauri Sharma, CEO of Lab42, gives us three insights into what goes into making data more visual: storytelling, simplicity and presentation.

For an example of their work, take a look at the Lab42 infographic that accompanies this post.

Where does infographics data come from?

Lab42 worked with Vendini to create and field surveys among social media users and then used the data to customize this compelling infographic.

Infographics are the hottest trend in sharing data.

Why? Readers don’t have time to interpret stuffy bar graphs and plain old pie charts– they want to experience data that they can digest quickly and efficiently.

As with any art form, refined products come with more experience, and infographics are no different.

With a lot of practice, proactive learning, and a few guidelines, we’ve built a business out of our love for beautiful data.

Three points to keep in mind when creating infographics.

1. TELL A STORY – anyone can create an infographic. However, the real pros communicate a cohesive story by pairing creative insights with eye-catching graphics. With a marriage of data and graphics, everyone lives happily ever after.
2. KEEP IT SIMPLE – You want to create an infographic so you can quickly explain a complex data set or share your message. Don’t get it twisted. Narrow in on your story, and keep it to the main points. Don’t add extraneous data that doesn’t support your story—clutter only weakens your overall message.
3. LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE – Search for the phrase ‘Infographic’ in Google Images. You’ll see how many infographics are out there and how easy it is to get lost in the mix. Make sure that your final infographic is a unique representation of the data you want to share. If your final product is just like everyone else’s, why would they share yours?

A global thinker and visionary, Gauri Sharma has taken market research into a new era, where quality information is affordable and presentation-ready for companies of all sizes within days. Lab42 provides quality, accurate results with quick turnaround for small businesses and Fortune 500 companies alike. For more information visit www.lab42.com.

Thanks so much to Gauri for contributing this guest post! When do you use infographics?