5 Things You Need for CompellingInfographics

1. You need a clear objective.What, specifically, do you want to convey, to whom, and why is this important?

To find your objective, ask…• “what story am

I telling?”• “what data

should I use to tell the story?”

• “why do I want to tell this story?”

2. You need rich content and context.• Indicate relevance of information

to audience.• Provide appropriate background

information.• 2-3 sentence introduction to

graphic• 1-2 sentences per header.

For example, if I told you that unemployment has decreased 10% in the U.S. – some people might think this is good, while many others would want more information in order to make a judgment. What is the trend over time? How do various geographic regions differ? Does male vs. female unemployment differ dramatically? Is the total number of unemployed people high or low historically? All these answers and more can be visualized in a concise way – allowing the viewer to extract the information they feel is necessary to come to their own conclusion.

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Examples of weak content

3. You need a good title.unique (but not too clever) - specific – clear – obviously placed

Example of a good title:

Not-so-good example #1: what ABOUT tax cuts and the federal budget?

Not-so-good title example #2: what??

4. You need a hook.the “whoa!” moment, attention-grabber,

or primary takeaway from your infographic. Make it the visual focal point (typically, in center or at end).

5. You need to follow the principles of good design (see next presentation!).