A good infographic will effortlessly blend good design and solid research. Just like any project you put your name on, you should take the time to do it right.
What do you want to say?
Clearly define your goals for the infographic. You can communicate complex information, present reporting in a creative way, tell a story or even use an infographic to call for action.
Now back it up with compelling data.
Beyond being beautiful to look at, you have to support your work with current and quality information. Sorry, you can't escape doing a little research!
Why are you even doing this again?
Don't loose sight of your purpose or audience. Keep those two aspects in mind when you start to design. You would not use the same language or graphics to reach your pre-teen cousin as you would your professor or employer.
Design Time
After you've selected a design tool you are comfortable using, start to layout your information and brainstorm a good headline that will grab attention. Keep it simple.
Refine & Review
Treat an infographic just as you would a research paper or blog post and give yourself sometime to edit and proofread. Better yet - ask a friend to scan it for errors your tired eyes may have missed.
Give credit
Cite those sources! If you are using your infographic as part of a class assignment, clarify with your professor how they would like you to do this. Otherwise, a good way to give attribution without disrupting the flow of your infographic is to use footnotes. Don't forget to credit yourself either! Adding your name or branding will ensure that whoever is inspired by your work down the line knows who created it.
Sharing is caring
Get your work out there! Link it to your personal blog, email it to your contacts or blast it out over your social media sites. You can also submit your infographic to directories and blogs like Visualoop, Cool Infographics, or Reddit. These sites get a lot of traffic, which can help your project gain traction.
Image created by onespot.com
