Infographics are the perfect way to present data in a way that is accessible to everyone. However, getting it right is a tedious undertaking. The process of design involves creative content composition and expert design work. To make sure you get it right, here are 5 best practices as well as some additional winning design tips.
Infographic Best Practices
Before opening your design program, pull out a piece of paper and plan your infographic. Here are the top 5 best practices to keep in mind as you plan.
1. Start with your audience in mind. Having a full understanding of your target audience makes it easy to formulate content and align design to provide valuable insights to your viewer. Identify who your audience is and what they really need to know.
2. Focus on the layout. Once you understand what your audience needs to know, it’s time to select a layout for your infographic. The layout should enhance your storyline and highlight your most important data points.
3. Create and design a compelling title. The title should be simple, compelling, and perfectly descriptive of the data you are presenting. Use a bold header, a bright font, and an interesting typographic composition to draw attention to your title.
4. Use a wireframe or a grid. The best way to design an infographic is to create a solid structural base for your infographic. Grids and/or wireframes help you keep essential content and design elements visually cohesive.
5. Nail your data visualization. Data is the most important part of your infographic presentation, right? Take the time to show your results with strong visuals (e.g. charts, graphs, line columns) rather than tell with too many words.
- Column graphs are the easiest way to compare data
- Line charts are best for conveying trends over time
Now that you’ve planned your infographic out on paper and considered the most important best practices, you can start to design your infographic. The following design elements will help you create an infographic that helps your audience understand and remember your most important data points.
Infographic Design Elements
Follow these design tips to create the most aesthetically pleasing infographic.
Typography. Keep your font selection minimal (2-3 fonts), use small text sparingly, and avoid ornate typography.
Color. Create your infographic with 2-3 colors in mind, make sure the tone of your infographic fits with your color scheme, and use color to logically lead readers through the data.
Contrast. Use contrast to create visual impacts. For example, pairing complementary colors can make your information pop and using different texts sizes can provide your reader with insight into what the most important bits of information are.
Balance. Keep your design well balanced, so it’s aesthetically pleasing.
Consistency. A good infographic is an infographic with consistent design elements from the top of the infographic to the bottom.
Negative space. Whitespace, or blank space surrounding objects in design, can help your readers separate and intake information as the designer intended.
Photography. Only use images that reflect the overall style of your infographic. Otherwise, it will throw off the balance and consistency of your design.
And there you have it! Follow these best practices and incorporate these elements of design and you’re well on your way to creating the perfect infographic to present your market research.
