Thoughts, worklogs and collection of found stuff.
The nature of information graphics dictate a different approach to design, as Juan Velasco, graphics editor for National Geographic, explains. According to Velasco, firstly, the reason for using an infographic is that it will aid its audience in understanding, finding or doing something. Doing this visually enables the audience to quickly revealing information that would otherwise be hidden in copious amounts of data.
Although it is a visual, words and pictures can be implemented when needed, though without disturbing the main graphic and it should be able to standalone and be self-explanatory. As part of this, it should also be universally understandable to reach a wider audience (IdN 2008). Use of infographics is an important part of editorial and newspaper design, as a means to communicate supporting facts to an article, or further expand on a topic. Wired Magazine approached an article about the world food supply like this, utilising 18 pages with information graphics to further explain and reveal information from the opening essay (Dadich 2009).
Maps are also considered to be infographics and one of the world’s most famous infographic being the London Tube map, originally designed by Harry Beck in 1931 (Wikipedia, 2009). The map Beck designed was based on the idea that a geographically correct representation of the rail system was unnecessary as they ran underground and most people did not have an accurate understanding of where the lines ran. Beck therefore designed a system based on simple visual elements and colours to give a diagrammatic overview of the system, showing only the information relevant to the traveller, like stations with connections to the other lines, and the relation between the different services (Transport for London, 2009). Thus, the London Tube map is an excellent example on how simplification of data and its presentation can change its communicative effectiveness.
Because the end design is based on statistics, facts or other information, a careful approach towards the final product is warranted. According to Timm Kekeritz, the main difference from traditional forms of graphic design lies in the analytical nature of the subject matter. It’s all about presenting facts and data in a visual way that ultimately leads to an audience grasping the details. “Although I am a designer and not a geologist, I can still contribute something to current scientific discussion by making the research results (…) accessible.” (IdN, 2008)
UK designer Jonathan Harris commentates that most designers are more inclined to consider aesthetics over the information they are supposed to communicate when designing – and that this leads to a separation of two key components that ultimately should work together (IdN, 2008). The design firm Catalogtree addresses this issue, saying that data dictates form in their process, rather than the other way around. The reason for this being that basic principles like size, colour and position all hold quantitative meaning, and therefore cannot be applied based on the designer’s good taste or sense of design (IdN, 2008). Applying a circle of a certain size for example, will instantly turn that circle into an informative element, one that holds a value, and should be in proportion to the rest of the graphic components to give an as-close-as possible visualisation of the data it represents.
According to Spanish design agency Lamosca, one of the common misconceptions is that information graphics are objective representations, and therefore ultimately true (IdN, 2008). However, as pointed out by Catalogtree, a haphazard approach or just considering aesthetic aspects can skew the meaning or value of the information. “If something is coloured, then it’s for a reason, not just to make it look nice”, says UK designer Dave Bowker. He adds that if elements on a page are related, moving one to make room another will essentially change the structure created previously, and can therefore change the information given (IdN, 2008).
This intricate balance between the need to create an aesthetic and informative image within the restrictions the data creates is one of the major challenges for designers. “People consider [information graphics] to be dry and boring. And the truth is that most infographics are dry and boring.” The reason for this, according to Harris, is that designers rarely move beyond the common norms of data visualisations and do not explore the possibilities that are available.
Nick Feltons “Annual Report” – a project that visualises the past year in Feltons life, is an interesting example of aesthetics versus large datasets – put into an end result that is interesting and enganging. As a 100% data driven project, Felton collects, notes and summarises personal data using spreadsheets, notebooks and online services like Flickr, Netflix and Amazon to document photo activities online, movie rentals and book purchases respectively (IdN, 2008).
Being a personal side-project, the data itself may not be particularly interesting to others than Feltons social circle, but the way the reports are constructed and the presentation of the data has created a stir-up in the international design community (IdN, 2008).
“Most people believe that a precondition of infographics is that they must be boring. I think that is why a crop of current designers have found success (…) by creating infographics that are personal, humorous and beautiful.” (IdN, 2008)
Feltons approach to the annual reports is minimalistic, operating with a two colour print job, and simple but effective illustrations along with creative use of typography to communicate his findings over the past year. Using the absoute core principles of design, line, shape, colour, size and pattern, he still manages to bring clarity to the information through clear and concise visual representations.
In recent years technological advances has given designers unlimited possibilities in data collection and visualisation. We are currently seeing a shift from traditional printed media towards multimedia presentations of just about any form of data available – be it Google searches, GPS unit tracking data or a data visualisation tool called Processing. “All these technologies will become increasingly relevant if they can bring clarity and focus to the ever-increasing amounts of unfiltered data we generate each day.” Felton concludes (IdN, 2008). In addition, these technological advances has given designers the ability to compute large datasets using technology enables designers to instantly produce or revise their work with the push of a button. When Catalogtree designed their Fortune 500 infographic for Fortune Magazine in 2008, the numbers for that year were not available until the day before deadline.
They solved the problem by using the numbers for 2007 to make a design mock-up using real data, and then creating a program that would generate the graphic using the new data as they came in. This on-the-fly approach makes the design of infographics not only quick, but also accurate both in math and visuals used as the computer is calculating the visuals based on the data input (IdN, 2008).
In the end, infographics all about creating visual systems, and these systems are essential to the successful creation of a functional infographic. Through the use of such systems, one can clearly define the different visual components and their meaning in the context they are presented. According to designer Peter Crnokrak “Information graphics’ primary purpose is to inform. In many cases the goal is to simplify complex data into understandable visual representations using symbols that can be universially interpreted.” (IdN, 2008) More often, designers find themselves in a position where they have to create some form of infographic from a simple Excel-sheet to large datasets. Understanding the principles of designing, or even using existing visual systems to create infographics is essential for a designer wanting to be relevant in their job.
The key principles of design comes to their right in full within the field of information design, as they are not only the building blocks of the visuals, but paired with data they also become identifiers of quantity or value. Often, designing an infographic will bring the designer back to the absolute basics in their visual toolbox to create the necessary visual representations.
A designer working on infographics must also take into considerations the way an audience will interpret the visuals presented, and therefore the data provided. Using the wrong shapes, colours or labels can alter the message, and therefore cause confusion and will cause either miscommunication, or failure to communicate the data overall. The designer needs to work wholistically to create a balanced piece of design that holds true to the data it is based on while still retaining an aesthetic value.
The challenge arises when designers step outside of the norms of pie charts, diagrams and matrixes and start to experiment with new methods of visualising data. Innovative and explorative designs by agencies and designers specialising in infographics, helps pushing the envelope and create new understanding for this complex field in design. Infographics, whether for printed media or in digital formats is becoming more relevant. As we are well on our way into the information age, we generate, knowingly or unknowingly, large amounts data through our every day life. Our web-browsing history, where we travel and what we buy to mention a few. Technology can assist designers with collection, analysis and final generation of this information, but the designers themselves still has to apply their knowledge of design principles to be able to transform the data into informative visuals.
There has been many attempts over the years to create a unified system for visualising data, some of which has prevailed like the London Underground map – a visual system that has become the international standard for transit maps for underground trains, buses, commuter rails or ferry routes. Internationalisation and global travel creates the need to communicate information effectively to a wide range of people across a huge variety of spoken languages. The visual language is one that we all have in common and it enables us to communicate, interact with and understand each other across lingual barriers. This makes design in general, and informed design like infographics in particular, one of the most important and versatile means of communication we have.