Tips for cleaner information design
With our ‘Apples’ talking about infographic design this month, on our Facebook and Instagram page, we thought we’d take a more detailed look into our top tips for infographic and information design.
The main aim of an infographic is to catch the users eye and communicate information in a quick and clear manner, often using striking fonts and engaging imagery. Infographics are a clever and concise way of visually communicating complex information, for example; a detailed process, mass of information, data report or multiple options.
1. Keep It Simple
The trick with information design, is taking potentially confusing, complex data, and distilling it into a visual that gets across the core themes in the simplest way. It also needs to be engaging and stimulating to look at.
Often a design may go too far and impede the data from being the most important thing on the table. Look again and ask what are the key messages that need to be communicated, and is this the best format for doing so, bearing in mind the relevant audience.
2. Consider Your Audience
Make it relevant! Often information graphics will be targeting a specific point, or range of data. Who are the audience? Teachers? Students? Musicians? Astronauts? Make sure to use a visual language and aesthetic that appeals to the target demographic, in a modern and relevant way. Cite sources if it helps, but make sure they are up-to-date.
3. Make The Information Manageable
Often a lot of work goes into the visual appearance of the data gathered, but it can be made more appealing by trying to distill the nature of the information, down to a title that will grab the viewers attention. A convoluted title may put readers off delving further. Stick to key information! If the data you have, would work better as several separate infographics, and the opportunity is there to do so, splitting up the information to address the key points. may be the best option - with visual cues to link them as part of a set.
4. Pay Attention To The Aesthetics
It’s a large umbrella term, but thinking about the following will help ensure that your designs don’t clash, look inconsistent, and remain well balanced. Pick colours that work well together. An interesting palette should compliment the information and make it easy to read. Use align and grid formation to bring pacing and balance to your design, it will prevent any overrun of information looking crammed in. Use fonts that are easy to read, at a variety of point sizes and in varied ‘weights’, to help create emphasis, where needed.
5. Ensure The Infographic Flows Well
The reader will understand the data, or point of the infographic much more, if you take them through the journey of dissecting the information, at each stage. Think of the infographic as a route from A to B, with the data at the beginning and the result/conclusion at the end. Connect & engage with the viewer, at every step, allowing them to see how the data is split. Move the reader throughout the design using white space, if necessary. Creating a flow helps readers attention and retention.
We hope you've found our thoughts on information and infographic design interesting. If you have an infographic that needs designing or any other design requirements, then please do get in touch.