For inspiration – Top 10 Best Infographics of 2013 – Research (1)

Information graphics or infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present complex information quickly and clearly. (wikipedia)

1. What Font Is Your Beard?

 Source: goldemann.de

2. Why your brain craves infographics

Click on the image to see a full interactive infographic | Source: Neomam Studios

3. An Illustrated Guide To “Game Of Thrones”

Click on the image to see a full interactive infographic | Source: Nigel Evan Dennis

4. 50 Awesome Facts about Languages

Source: UIC London Language school

5. Supplement Vs Food

Source: supplementcentre.com

6. Is Elon Musk the real life Tony Stark?

Source: vcars.com

7. Distance to Mars

Click on the image to see a full interactive visualization | Source: distancetomars.com

8. 50 things to do at the airport

Source: cheapflights.co.uk

9. 19 Emotions For Which English Has No Words

Click on the image to enlarge it | Source: uniquelang.peiyinglin.net

10. 24 hours of sunsets

Source: http://piktochart.com/top-10-best-infographics-of-2013/

In his 1983 ‘landmark book’ The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, Edward Tufte defines ‘graphical displays’ in the following passage:

“Graphical displays should:

• show the data

• induce the viewer to think about the substance rather than about methodology, graphic design, the technology of graphic production or something else

• avoid distorting what the data have to say

• present many numbers in a small space

• make large data sets coherent

• encourage the eye to compare different pieces of data

• reveal the data at several levels of detail, from a broad overview to the fine structure.

• serve a reasonably clear purpose: description, exploration, tabulation or decoration.

• be closely integrated with the statistical and verbal descriptions of a data set.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infographic

Characteristics of Effective Infographics

• Informative – audience learns something
• Easy to read
• Easy to understand
• Interesting
• Uses quality data
• Has a point of view
• Manageable amounts of info
• Easily distinguishable and comparable data
• Good use of contrast
• Clear labeling
• Created for a reason
• Appropriate visual methods
• Not wasting space
• Black and white factor
• Avoid information overload
• Key identification
• LATCH
• Data dense
• Use of axis labels and scales
• Vertical or horizontal organization
• Use of color
• Data in chunks
• Appropriate for intended audience
• No distortion of data
• Legibility
• Space management
• Visibility across different mediums
• Simple and organized
• No chart junk
• Visually pleasing
• Grab viewer’s attention
• Balance between amount and size of text
• For a general audience
• Consistency of content
• Accuracy
• Encourages comparisons
• Clear purpose
• Creative
• Engaging
• Appropriate size
• Meaningful story
• Functional – effectively portrays the data
• Miller’s magic number
• Use of realism
• Use of noticeable differences in size
• Appropriate use of fonts
• Display what is relevant
• Use of pictures

Source: http://infographics2011.umwblogs.org/2011/11/04/characteristics-of-effective-infographics-activity-i/