Infographics

= What Are Infographics? = toc media type="custom" key="11287422" align="left"Infographics are a form of visualization that convey information, data, or knowledge in a graphically-designed layout. They are used in order to facilitate comprehension and understanding of complex information, and present information that would otherwise be textually ineffective. With the development of the web and the spread of information, infographics have received increased attention in recent years.

Infographics have, in fact, been around for a much longer time than the computer age. Some consider the hieroglyphics of the ancient Egyptians to be a form of infographic. Newspapers and media used infographics in the more recent past, and since the development of the personal computer and design software, infographic design and creation has seen a tremendous growth.

Infographics can serve a number of functions. They are commonly used in meetings and presentations, and have even been adapted to enhance people’s resumes. In such context, they can be used for short-term purposes in order to convey information that is current but will eventually be outdated, or they can represent lasting information that is more perpetual in nature.

Some consider them solely from an artistic standpoint, but many others place a high value on their ability to communicate useful information. Research has actually found that infographics can improve the productivity of meetings. The same research showed that infographics improve collaboration and communication in management teams. Productivity and quality among management teams was increased significantly. Individually, recall and knowledge gains were increased as well by members of those teams. A short video discussing the research can be found below:

Most can fit into five major categories: Cause-and-effect, chronological, quantitative, directional, and product infographics. Typically, an infographic is composed of a visual part, a content part, and a knowledge part. The visual aspect uses colors, graphics, and icons, the content part includes things such as time frames, statistics, and references, and the knowledge part makes use of facts and deductions.

media type="youtube" key="wsHlO8UXaLw" height="315" width="560"

Infographics can be found all over the web. Relatively simple to create, and easy to disperse online, they play a significant role in communicating information.

This link, @http://www.visual-literacy.org/pages/documents.htm, actually uses infographics to showcase what particular skills and resources can be used to create them. With the most successful ones highlighting both visual appeal as well as pertinent information, not only a background in design, but analysis is helpful in order to create a powerful infographic.

Infographics Everywhere!
@http://www.fastcompany.com/infographics This is a webpage presented by the magazine __Fast Company__. Each day it showcases a new infographic, and is a good way to see all the possibilities without getting overwhelmed.
 * Infographic of the Day:**

@http://www.coolinfographics.com/blog/2011/10/12/top-100-scifi-and-fantasy-books-flowchart.html This blog post highlights the creative use of an infographic as applied to NPR's Top 100 SciFi and Fantasy Books ratings. It helps a viewer find which book would most peak their interest. The infographic accommodates all readers, from ones experienced in SciFi and Fantasy, to those who may be curious about the genres but who have never read any such books.
 * Top 100 SciFi and Fantasy Books Flowchart:**

**References**
Adams, D. (2011, March 25). What are infographics and why are they important? Retrieved October 15, 2011 from @http://www.instantshift.com/2011/03/25/what-are-infographics-and-why-are-they-important/

//Articles & Videos on Visual Literacy and Knowledge Visualization//. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2011 from @http://www.visual-literacy.org/pages/articles.htm

Friedman, V. (2007, August 2). Data visualization: Modern approaches. Retrieved October 13, 2011, from @http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/08/02/data-visualization-modern-approaches/

//Infographic of the Day//. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2011, from @http://www.fastcompany.com/infographics

//Infosthetics: The beauty of data visualization//. (2007, March 23). Retrieved October 13, 2011 from @http://pingmag.jp/2007/03/23/infosthetics-form-follows-data/

KnowViz (2009, September 23). Visualization for knowledge sharing: Experimental evidence [Video file]. Video posted to URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsHlO8UXaLw&feature=player_embedded#!

Krum, R. (2011, October 12). Top 100 SciFi and Fantasy Books Flowchart. Retrieved October 15, 2011, from @http://www.coolinfographics.com/blog/2011/10/12/top-100-scifi-and-fantasy-books-flowchart.html

Noupe. (2010, February 2). Stunning infographics and data visualization. Retrieved October 13, 2011 from @http://www.noupe.com/inspiration/stunning-infographics-and-data-visualization.html

Roy, S. (n.d.). The anatomy of an infographic: 5 steps to create a powerful visual. Retrieved October 15, 2011, from @http://spyrestudios.com/the-anatomy-of-an-infographic-5-steps-to-create-a-powerful-visual/

Stevecater. (2011, October 18). Dishwasher-infographic [Photograph]. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from @http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ADishwasher-infographic.jpg