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an effective tool for journalists

Infographics

info•graphicnoun- a visual representation of information or data, typically presenting something complex in a quick and understandable form. e.g. as a chart or diagram: a good infographic is worth a thousand words

origin1960s (as adjective): blend of information and graphic

Source: Oxford Dictionary

by Tyne Alina Hamilton

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Tyne Alina Hamilton

s2716874 tyne.hamilton@griffithuni.edu.au

7061QCA Information Media Methods FRED

Nicole Wall 29/09/13Queensland College of Art, Griffith University Master of Digital Design

© Tyne Alina Hamilton 2013. All rights reserved. This document is confidential, and remains the property of Tyne Alina Hamilton. It may be reproduced for the purposes of internal company use while engaged on the project described, but is not to be communicated, in whole or in part, to any third party without prior written consent.

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©3*Abstract

FRED-RefInformation design, visual literacy, infographics, instructional design, structuring information, journalism, data visualization, data journalism, visual storytelling.

Web KeywordsData, infographics, information, visualization, audience, journalists, graphics, visual, design, readers, media, tools, story, research, information, statistics, facts, illustrations.

We live in a time poor society, people are rushing around and it is becoming increasingly difficult to standout from the crowd. This is possibly why infographics have become more prevalent in the last couple years. Journalists often struggle to have their stories read by the masses. Researchers found that colour visuals increase the willingness to read by 80%. Infographics can change the way people find and experience stories. This fact demonstrates that Journalists can use Infographics as a tool to counter the information overload in their stories as well as to gain their audiences attention and help the reader to retain the information from their articles. They say a picture speaks a thousand worlds well then an infographics must speak even more as they includes both pictures and words together. Infographics can be defined as a visual representation of information or data, typically presenting something complex in a quick and understandable form. They include illustrations, graphic images and icons, type and symbols such as arrows. Journalists can use infographics as a tool to convey a huge set of data and information in a fraction of the time that it takes to wade through a dense, numbers-heavy paragraph.

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Contents010608

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15- 16

17

IntroductionDefinition

What makes a sucessful infographic?

ConclusionReferences

Appendix 1. Tips for Infographics

2. Examples

Critical Analysis

Utilty, Soundness and Beauty

Criticism of InfographicsProblems for journalists How to make an effective infographic

Tools to create infographics

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Introduction Unlike any time before in our lives, we have access to vast amounts of free information. With the right tools, we can start to make sense of all this data to see patterns and trends that would otherwise be invisible to us. By transforming numbers into graphical shapes, we allow readers to understand the stories those numbers hide. Infographics can be used as a data visualization tool to see beyond lists of numbers and variables and achieve new insights into the complex world around us. Journalists can use infographics regardless of the kind of data. Infographics can be used to display any topic imaginable making the topic attention-grabbing. A lot of phrases get thrown around

in the world of information graphics. “Infographics.” “Data visualization.” “Information design.” Because these terms overlap and are very similar in strictly defining terms this essay will look at the overall category under the term “data visualization” as it encompasses everything and is the most preferred in the industry.

Data visualization is any graphic that displays and explains information, whether that be data or words. When we use the term “data visualization,” we’re using it as a general term used to describe data presented in a visual

way, from traditional static infographics to interactive data visualizations that allow users to explore a data set for themselves.The purpose of this essay is to delve

into the world of Infographics to educate readers new to the topic, to inspire readers to use Infographics and to understand how and why they can and should be used to accompany journalist work.Firstly, this essay will define the

term infographics and its purpose. Secondly, the theory of what makes a good infographic: Utilty, Soundness and Beauty as this theory best suits the practice of journalism. Thirdly this essay will discuss some criticism and problems journalists encounter when using infographics. Lastly, tips for infographic creators and how to create an effective infographic. Due to the scope of the topic, this essay will intentionally leave out two of the formats of Infographics; motion graphics and interactive infographics focusing on static infographics as they are the ones used greatest in the media.

Although some think that infographics are a plague on the practice of journalism, this essay contends that infographics can be used as an effective tool for journalists to gain their audiences attention and retain the information from their articles.

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As the world gets more complex and more data emerges, information graphics are more useful than ever.

Connie Malamed author of ‘Visual language for designers’ defines the term, “infographic” or “information graphic” as a visual representation of information, data or knowledge. In an infographic, a mark, a symbol or visual element typically stands for quantitative information. Color, size and shape usually provide the qualitative aspect. Infographics use text as labels and for short explanations to make the data useful. Think of charts, diagrams, graphs, maps, timelines and modern visualizations (Malamed, C. 2013.) (See page 16 for examples of some effective infographics). Infographics became popular around 2007, interest in infographics began to grow on the web, Suddenly, a whole new group of “experts” was praising, sharing, and critiquing any infographic they could find. Since then, an impressive number of new infographics have been created as various industries and areas identified different applications for their use.

One of the most common was to use editorial infographics for commercial marketing purposes. (Lankow et al. 2012 pp. 202). This new breed of visual took a bit of a different path, both in format and content. The long, skinny graphic, designed to fit within a blog’s width, became ubiquitous and almost instantly synonymous with the term infographic. An Infographic, is designed to convey

a huge set of data in a fraction of the time that it takes to wade through a dense, numbers-heavy paragraph. The best ones are also entertaining. (Visual.ly, 2013). Infographics tend to be abstract visuals. They compress information and make it manageable, so our small working memories can manipulate it and ponder it. They help us see information in new ways, which gives us greater insight for understanding and problem solving. A viewer doesn’t quite read an abstract infographic, as much as study, analyze and explore it. The best infographics can feel as though they are dynamic, even though they are static. That’s because the mind is zooming in, measuring and manipulating the visual information. (Malamed, C. 2013).

Definition

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DATA VISUALISATIONData visualization often deals with an

enormous amount of data, with the goal of discovering patterns. Huge amounts of data are very difficult to sort through, but infographics make information presentable and digestible to a general audience. An easy-to-read illustration helps tell

a story and makes data points easier to understand. And it doesn't hurt when infographics are not only clear and straightforward but also beautiful and engaging. The aesthetic design draws the viewer in; the information helps the viewer analyze and understand the data being presented. (Visual.ly, 2013). Infographics are important because

they change the way people find and experience stories – especially now, when more and more infographics are being used to augment editorial content on the web. Infographics create a new way of seeing the world of data, and they help communicate complex ideas in a clear and beautiful way.

Images and graphics should always look appealing and encourage viewers to engage in the content. It is important that we examine why this is the case and identify the primary elements that lead to this appeal. This is certainly the first and potentially most challenging step in conveying a message: getting the recipient to commit to hearing what you have to say. People have long accepted the notion that a picture can replace a thousand words, and similarly, that a simple graph can replace a table full of numbers. Basic visualization allows us to immediately comprehend a message by detecting notable patterns, trends, and outliers in the data. (Lankow et al. 2012).•

80%Infographics counter information overload because they're more engaging. Researchers found that colour visuals increase the willingness to read by 80%.

Source: Green, R. (1989). The Persuasive Properties of Color, Marketing Communications.

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Lankow, Ritchie and Crooks discuss what encompasses a good Infographic in their book Infographics: The Power of Visual Storytelling (2012) they believe that a good Infographic has; Utility, Soundness & Beauty.

UTILITY With respect to utility, infographics must employ an objectives based approach. Essentially, the utility of an infographic is measured by how it enables a brand to reach its objectives. All infographics communicate information. And, there are two approaches to communicating: explorative and narrative. Therefore, to measure the quality you must consider the approach. Explorative infographics provide information in an unbiased fashion, enabling viewers to analyze it and arrive at their own conclusions. This approach is best used for scientificand academic applications, in which comprehension of collected research or insights is a priority.

Narrative infographics guide the viewers through a specific set of information that tells a predetermined story. This approach is best used when there is a need to leave readers with a specific message to take away, and should focus on audience appeal and information retention. It is important to think about these two approaches in a non-hierarchical way. Each is unique, and their effectiveness is ultimately judged by how well they enable a brand to reach its communication objectives, regardless of how readers interact with the information. (Lankow et al. 2012).

SOUNDNESS ‘Vitruvian Principals’ Lankow, Crooks, Ritchie. Infographics:

The Power of Visual Storytelling. 2012. pp. 198.

What makes a good Infographic?

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Good infographics also communicate something meaningful. Communicating a message worth telling provides readers with something of value. While infographics can be a powerful vehicle of communication, they are sometimes produced arbitrarily or when a cohesive and interesting story isn’t present. If the information itself is incomplete, untrustworthy, or uninteresting, attempting to create a good infographic with it is more than a fool’s errand; it’s impossible. Cliff Kuang, receives hundreds

of pitches each day from people wanting their infographics featured in his “Infographic of the Day” column. Kuang said, the most frequent mistake found in infographics is that their subject matter is not interesting. According to Kuang, “Infographic producers (from brands to designers) tend to confuse the amount of time they put into researching, copywriting, and designing an infographic with the level of willingness that an audience has to read the content.” (Lankow et al. ch 8 p. 200). In short, if no one cares what the

infographic is communicating, then how can it be good? Infographic content should relate to its intended audience, whether it is a broad or targeted one. Therefore an infographic that is sound is one that has meaning and integrity.

BEAUTYWhile the information is of the

utmost importance when it comes to soundness, what is done with the information— essentially, how it is

designed— is also important. With this in mind, there are two things to consider: format and design quality. If an inappropriate format is used, the outcome will be inferior. Similarly, if the design misrepresents or skews the information deliberately or due to user error, or if the design is inappropriate given the subject matter, it cannot be considered high quality, no matter how aesthetically appealing it appears at first glance. An infographic’s design should

be prescribed, with regards to appropriateness and effectiveness, by the objectives and the information being displayed, not individual preferences. The design is the application of a visual solution to the problem; it is representative of the approach as a whole, rather than individual elements (e.g. an illustration or icon). According to Moritz Stefaner,

“information visualization and information graphics work best when they take the recipient and the data seriously.” (Lankow et al. ch 8 p. 198). This advice reflects the old adage that form should follow function. This is why we must contextualize our perception of beauty. Picking the right visual solution may

require you to use intense illustration or data visualization, or both. (Lankow et al. 2012). It’s all about finding the right visual

representations of the information, based on the story. Because an infographic’s design also takes your specific objectives, the information, and the audience into account,

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there are endless possibilities for how beauty can be manifested. Studies have focused on how ease of processing information influences a person’s aesthetic pleasure. One group of researchers

convincingly theorize that a positive aesthetic experience is grounded in how easy it is to process an object’s information (Reber, Schwarz, Einkielman, 2004). Thus, the perceived “goodness” or beauty of a work depends on how fluently a person processes the work, which is based on its features. The types of features that facilitate fluent processing include many of the traditional attributes of aesthetic beauty. These are: Symmetry (vertical symmetry in particular), High figure-ground contrast, Visual clarity (less information rather than more). (Malamed, C. 2009).Designing with information (whether

during its assembly, transmission, or receipt) is a heady affair. The quickly relevant constraints pertain mainly to our finite human sensory and cognitive capacities. Jacobson, (1999) said, All too quickly information design can degenerate into chaotic, random brush strokes on the recipient’s cognitive canvas. Because the success of information design is so context-dependent, there is almost no way to predict scientifically for any particular setting what will work and what will not. Each design rises or falls according to factors that are difficult to replicate: the setting in which the transfer of knowledge occurs, the individuals involved, the medium or media employed, and the original and ultimate purposes of producers and consumers. (Jacobson, 1999. pp. 5).

CRITICISM OF INFOGRAPHICSThe debate over what should be

considered an infographic continues to this day, as people seek to find concrete definitions in an area that’s constantly becoming more nebulous. Among the most known and quoted voices in this area is Yale University statistics professor Edward Tufte, who has written some of the most acclaimed and comprehensive works on the topic of information design. Tufte has contributed much to its popular terminology by coining terms such as ‘chartjunk’ (unnecessary graphic elements that do not communicate information) and developing the data-ink ratio— a measurement of the amount of information communicated in a graphic as it relates to the total number of visual elements in it. Tufte’s thoughts on the topic represent a conservative lean on the spectrum of approaches to infographic design which is typical of those who have an academic or scientific background. He argues that any graphic elements

of a design that do not communicate specific information are superfluous and should be omitted. He believes that ‘chartjunk’ such as unnecessary lines, labels, or decorative elements only distract the viewer and distort the data, thus detracting from the graphic’s integrity and decreasing its value. Although Tufte does concede that decorative elements can help editorialize a topic in some instances, his teachings typically discourage their use. (Lankow et al. 2012 pp. 202).

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142%The use of visualized information has increased 142% in newspapers (between 1985 & 1994).

Source: Zacks, J., Levy, E., Tversky, B., Schinao, D. (2002). Graphs in Print, Diagrammatic Representation and Reasoning.

PROBLEMS FOR JOURNALISTS The major problem associated with

infographics in journalism is fact-checking and how some creators of infographics twist the data to suit themselves. It is extremely hard to combat this as journalists have to fact-check every datapoint in an infographic to be sure that they are not misleading readers. It isn’t necessarily an easy task especially when infographics often list sources as non-hyperlinked URLs within the image, making tracking down source data laborious. A poorly researched or executed infographic can be just as common as junk reporting or a badly written blog post. (Bryant, M. 2011).As technology advances, journalists

are able to create their own interactive graphics and add visual components to their reports, an area once reserved for graphic designers. Just as good journalists credit

sources, list all relevant data sources within the infographic. Clearly state who produced the infographic, too. Data Journalism is telling stories that are based on concrete data. Even though it is not something new and journalists have been reporting using data for quite some time, recent

technological advancements have made it easier to do data journalism using a plethora of new open source tools available to us all. (Visual.ly, 2013). Linda Forrest of Francis Moran & Associates neatly summarizes the journalism/infographic debate here: Data visualization is nothing new, but in recent years, this approach has gained significant traction as a tool used by marketers and journalists alike. (McCaskey, K. 2012).Infographics and data visualizations

have become essential tools for journalism with the emergence of digital media, where huge volumes of data need to be interpreted and communicated in easy to understand language for the audience. According to Stew Langille, the

CEO of data visualization start-up Visual.ly, the average page view for a newspaper infographic is about 30 times that of a text-based article. (So. 2012). This prooves that Infographics compliment journalism. Although there is significant criticism of the overuse of the tactic, and arguments abound that they are more about style than substance. (McCaskey, K. 2012).

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The CEO of data visualization start-up Visual.ly Stew Langille says, creating an effective infographic is much more difficult than just arranging a few charts around a cartoon character. It requires graphic designers to tap into their inner data analyst and journalist — to crunch numbers and craft a convincing narrative. Few have all these skills at their fingertips. Here are some tips for journalists wanting to use inforgraphics to accompany their stories.

1. Apply a journalist’s code of ethicsAn infographic starts with a great

data set. Even if you’re not a journalist — but an advertiser or independent contractor, say — you need to represent the data ethically in order to preserve your credibility with your audience. Don’t source from blogs. Don’t source from Wikipedia. Don’t misrepresent your data with images.2. Find the story in the dataThere’s a popular misconception

that creating a great infographic just requires hiring a great graphic designer. But even the best designer can only do so much with poor material. Mapping out the key points in your narrative should be the first order of business. “The most accessible graphics we’ve ever done are the ones that tell a story. It should have an arc, a climax and a conclusion,” Langille says. When you find a great data set, mock up your visualization first and figure out what you want to say, before contacting a designer.

3. Make it mobile and personalAs the media becomes more

sophisticated, designers are developing non-static infographics. An interactive infographic might seem pretty “sexy,” Langille says, but it’s much less shareable. A video infographic, on the other hand, is both interactive and easy to port from site to site. Another way to involve readers is to create a graphic that allows them to input and share their own information.4. Don’t let the code outOne of the easiest ways to

protect your work is to share it on a community site. Visual.ly offers Creative Commons licensing to users who upload a graphic to the site. When visitors who want to use the graphic grab embed code from the site, the embedded image automatically links back to its creator. Langille suggests adding branding to the bottom of your work and never releasing the actual source file — only the PNG, JPEG, or PDF. And what if your work goes viral without proper credit? For god’s sake, don’t be a pain and demand that the thieves take it down. “It’s better to let it go and ask for a link back and credits on the graphics,” Langille said. (So. 2012).

(For some more tips on creating an Infographic see Alberto Cairo author of, The Functional Art: An introduction to information graphics and visualization’s tips page 15).

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TOOLS The future of infographics is marked

by the increased automation of data visualization, powered by software that will make these capabilities more accessible to everyone. This is coupled with the recognition that human creativity will still play an essential role in crafting a strong story and customizing a visualization. (Lankow et al. 2012).Now that the infographic craze

has saturated us with new visual knowledge something interesting has happened: The creation of infographics has become democratized. No longer is the act of creating a visual data story confined to professional designers using professional tools like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. (McConnell, C. 2013). Now anyone with a data set can build

an infographic. With that in mind, I’ve cobbled together a list of services/methods that even non-designers can use to create great infographics.

One of the most well known infographics ‘The Billion Dollar-o-Gram’ created in 2009 by the team at ‘informationisbeautiful.net’ displays

amounts of money in colourful rectangles relating to the amount of money that the Government spent on certain things like war and the GFC. This infographic displays the distribution of public money to the different causes and events. Although it would be difficult to mentally encompass all of this information at once, Viewers get both a big picture understanding and can zoom in for details. (Interactive Element - Click circle button to see example online).

In conclusion, The statistics say that the use of visualized information has increased 142% in newspapers (between 1985 & 1994). That is because a easy-to-read illustration helps tell a story and makes data points easier to understand. Journalists can use info graphics as a tool to convey a huge set of data in a fraction of the time that it takes to wade through a dense, numbers-heavy paragraph. Infographics change the way people find and experience stories. Researchers found that colour visuals increase the willingness to read by 80%. This proves that Journalists can use Infographics as a tool to counter the information overload in their stories as well as to gain their audiences attention and retain the information from their articles. •

Conclusion

• infogr.am • infoactive• piktochart• wordle• piktochart• easel.ly• infogr.am• visua.ly

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References• Bryant, M. (2011, December, 27). The Next

Web - The Infographic Plague is actually a plague of lazy journalists and bloggers Retrieved from http://thenextweb.com/media/2011/12/27/the-infographic-plague-is-actually-a-plague-of-lazy-journalists-and-bloggers/

• Cairo, A. (2013). The Functional Art: An introduction to information graphics and visualization. Berkeley: New Riders, a division of Pearson. Retrieved from http://thesocietypages.org/graphicsociology/2013/01/06/the-functional-art-by-alberto-cairo-book-review/

• Cash, I. (2011). Infographic of Infographics [Image]. Retried from http://ivancash.com/Infographic-of-Infographics

• Green, R. (1989). The Persuasive Properties of Color, Marketing Communications.

• Jacobson, R, E. (1999). Information Design - Communication in design, Communication. MIT Press. pp. 5 &16

• Lankow, Crooks, Ritchie. et al. (2012). Vitruvian Principals [Image]. Retrieved from Infographics: The Power of Visual Storytelling. 2012. pp. 198.

• Lankow, J., Ritchie, J., Crooks, R., (2012). Infographics: The power of visual storytelling. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

• Malamed, C. (2009). Visual Language for Designers: Principles for Creating Graphics that People Understand. Retrieved from http://understandinggraphics.com/brainy/improve-graphic-appeal/

• McCaskey, K. (2012). SixEstate – Impact of Infographics on journalism, content marketing Retrieved from http://sixestate.com/impact-of-infographics-on-journalism-content-marketing/

• McConnell, C. (2012). Readwrite - Five tools for creating your own infographic Retrieved from http://readwrite.com/2013/06/10/5-tools-for-creating-your-own-infographics#awesm=~oiQlsW186EZ6By

• Reber, R., Schwarz, N. & Winkielman, P. (2004). Processing fluency and aesthetic pleasure: Is beauty in the perceiver’s processing experience? Personality and Social Psychology Review, 8, 364–382. • So, A. (2012, July, 23). You Suck at

Infographics - Wired, Design. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/design/2012/07/you-suck-at-infographics/ • The Billion Dollar-o-Gram. (2009). [Image].

Retrieved from http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/billion-dollar-o-gram-2013/ • Bryant, M. (2011). The Next Web - The

Infographic Plague is actually a plague of lazy journalists and bloggers http://thenextweb.com/media/2011/12/27/the-infographic-plague-is-actually-a-plague-of-lazy-journalists-and-bloggers/

• Zabisco. (n.d.). Watch this space Infographics are ‘in’ [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.designinfographics.com/other-infographics/watch-this-space-infographics-are

• Zacks, J., Levy, E., Tversky, B., Schinao, D. (2002). Graphs in Print, Diagrammatic Representation and Reasoning, London: Springer-Verlag.

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Alberto Cairo author of The Functional Art: An introduction to information graphics and visualization (2013), shares his tips for graphic design that can be applied to the world of infographics and help people who do not come from a graphic design background. He says,

+ The less frequently a color appears in nature, the more likely it is to draw the eye. Reserve the use of colors like red, pink, purple, orange, teal, and yellow for elements that are meant to draw attention.+ Humans cannot focus on multiple

elements at the same time. Design graphics that have one focal point or clear hierarchies of focal points. Do this by eliminating unnecessary use of bright color, chart junk like grid lines that aren’t absolutely necessary, and by establishing a logical information hierarchy in the page layout.+ Landscapes have horizon lines.

Humans are used to encountering the world this way. This is one reason why it is easier to make comparisons using bar graphs (where all the elements

start from a common horizon line, rather than pie charts where there is no shared horizon).+ Eyes are good at detecting motion

and they will focus attention on moving objects. Try not to ask viewers to read text and simultaneously watch a moving element in interactive graphics.+ Human brains are good at

picking out patterns. Often, fairly small changes to a graphic layout that strengthen the appearance of grouping or other types of patterns will add to the ability of the graphic to deliver an instant impression or overview of the message being communicated. For instance, changing the spacing of the bars in a bar graph so that every fourth bar has twice as much space after it as all the rest will make the graph appear to have groups of 4-bar units.+ Interposition – placing one object

in front of another so they overlap – is a good way to add depth. If objects never overlap, the opportunity for the illusion of depth is lost.

1. Infographic Tips

Appendix

Cairo, A. (2013). The Functional Art: An introduction to information graphics and visualization. Berkeley: New Riders, a division of Pearson.

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Critical AnalysisAs this assessment was a FRED item I was able to choose the topic. As I have studied journalism I knew that I wanted to choose a topic that incorporated both journalism and digital design. In class Nicole Wall our lecturer introduced me to infographics. I had seen them before but never really thought about the reasoning behind them, their purpose or even how to create them. I had no clue. Through writing this explorative essay I feel like a bit of an infographic nerd. I enjoyed exploring all of the many tools online that people can go on to create their own infographics. I found it difficult to find information

in the form of peer reviewed books or articles. There were a couple books that I found online that didn’t have electronic versions that I would have liked to include. There isn’t a lot on the topic from the view point of journalism, just one author that I could find, ‘Connie Malamed’ author of: Visual Language For Designers (2009). A book I came across that

I found some of online was so interesting I read the whole book and am even contemplating purchasing it. ‘Infographics: The power of visual storytelling (2012)’ was a great read and visually stimulating as well. I did have interactive buttons that I

created in Adobe InDesign, but they are invisible. I hope it is not too hard to navigate with out the navigation buttons as there are quite a few pages to the FRED. I really got into designing this FRED-Item and really enjoyed the subject matter immensely.

I believe that my FRED-Item would be a beneficial read to those who aren’t familiar with the world of infographics as well as to journalists to convince them to use some digital design with their work. As a visual learner and creative thinker I definitely prefer if an article or story used digital or illustrative elements with the story. I believe it can only add to the experience not detract like some may think.