Who is the intended audience?

Before you begin designing your infographic, think about who you want it to reach and if there is a specific community, or group of people, you’d ideally want to share or create the graphic with. Making decisions with the audience in mind or as part of the creative process itself will help you to create a better, more effective, infographic that caters to their specific interests and needs. For example, consider what aspects of the research article are most relevant to the audience and if there are any specific accessibility considerations you should keep in mind.

What narrative approach is the most fitting?

Thinking about narrative approach early on will ensure that the graphic is logical and appropriate – both in terms of audience and accurately sharing the source material. An explanatory narrative approach is typically the best fit for an infographic based on a research article. An explanatory approach means that the infographic is not created to persuade the audience or put forth judgement, but to educate the audience about a specific topic or area of research. On the other hand, if appropriate, an editorial or persuasive narrative will insert value judgements and aim to influence the reader.

What information do you want to center within the graphic?

Depending on the original source material, it is likely that you will not be able to use every piece of information within the infographic. Make strategic decisions about what to feature and how you will feature it while ensuring the integrity of the original article is maintained.

Layout

Use a simple, clear layout with defined sections.

The structure, or layout, of an infographic can play a major role in its success. Barlow et al. (2020), state that the structure of an infographic should be logical and clear with an aim to minimize confusion and reduce misunderstandings. A study conducted by Majooni et al. (2017) used eye-tracking software to determine which structures were most effective for increasing reader comprehension and decreasing cognitive effort. To determine which layouts supported comprehension, the authors looked at the “scan path” of each participant – where their eyes lingered and if they had to restart or “revisit” certain components of the infographic. The results suggested that using a layout that supports “natural left-right (up-down)” eye movement can improve viewers’ understanding and enjoyment of the infographic and that vertical columns proved to be more efficient versus horizontal rows (265)1.

With this in mind, use a simple, clear layout that has defined sections. The layout should be straightforward and should not require additional work from the reader to determine in what order they should be reading the information. Use clear headers and sub-headers when appropriate and incorporate white space when possible.

1. This study was conducted with English language documents and is representative of a Western reading style. If creating an infographic in another language, consider what is the most common reading pattern and design the layout accordingly.

Colour scheme

Choose a colour palette that features 3-4 colours and be consistent in its use.

When determining the colour scheme for an infographic you must make decisions with accessibility in mind. Colour blindness, in particular, affects 5.6% of individuals and can alter one’s understanding of an infographic if too much meaning is placed on it. Therefore, Barlow et al. (2020) suggest that, while colour is used to emphasize or add tone, it should not be used to convey a message. This suggestion is supported by Balkac and Ergun (2018) who note that, for colour to function as a communication tool, it should be subtle and used to apply emphasis – not as the main feature. Even further, some specific colour combinations – including red and green, brown and green, purple and blue, and blue and green – can be difficult for some people to differentiate and should be avoided.

Referencing a “color checklist” can provide additional guidance when determining the colour palette for an infographic. For example:

• Choose 3-4 colours.

• Be consistent.

• Choose colours that are accurate and representative of the image you are depicting.

• Avoid creating false relationships through the use of colour.

George-Palilonis’s (2016) checklist states that first, one should strive for visual accuracy. This means that the colours selected should, as closely as possible, reflect reality. This point is supported by Balkac and Ergun (2018), who highlight the importance of using the correct colour for representation purposes (for example – a heart should be red). Lastly, ensure you do not create false relationships through colour. Readers will create connections based on colour, so be careful that the colour relationships created make sense logically and visually.

Choose three to four colours to use throughout the graphic and stick to them. While a variety of colours might be eye-catching, it can be distracting and reduce the quality of the infographic. Be sure to include your font colour(s) in this as well!

Typeface

Use a sans serif font and size the text appropriately according to its function.

Use no more than three fonts (within one typeface) throughout an infographic. Even further, each font should have a clear role. For example, the font used for title, the body, and subtitles should each be consistent. If there are varying fonts used inconsistently throughout, the reader will likely become confused and will have less success in understanding the information presented to them. George-Palilonis (2016) offers more in-depth suggestions regarding typeface and font. He suggests that, as with colour, a “palette” should be determined early on to maintain consistency and clarity. The specific suggestions the author puts forward are:

• Use sans serif fonts as they are easier to read in smaller sizes

• Choose one typeface (introducing a second only if additional emphasis is required) that comes in a variety of weights, because these weights and widths will create contrast

• Adhere to specific font size guidelines that are representative of function (I.e., header, sub-header, body)

Overall, being consistent (and keeping it simple) are the main considerations when determining typeface. The typeface should not be distracting or erratic. Such changes will confuse the reader and disrupt the overall cognitive process of ingesting, and understanding, the information within the infographic.

Infographics are effective because of their reliance on visuals to convey information and support the written text. Because of their importance, choosing the visual elements is an important step in the creation process and may affect the graphic’s overall effectiveness.

There are two types of visual elements that are commonly seen within infographics: decorative and information-based.

• Decorative visual elements are those that solely add to the aesthetic quality of the infographic and assist in increasing its design appeal.

• Information-based visual elements are those that provide information or directly support written text. For example, charts, graphs, and other data visualization graphics are information-based data visualizations.

Depending on the research you are translating, (e.g., quantitative or qualitative), there may be fewer opportunities to incorporate information-based visuals and more reliance on the decorative elements to support the text.

Irrelevant visuals can distract readers and take attention away from the information-based text and visuals. Choosing visuals that align with the text they are placed near can assist in readability and comprehension and limit misunderstanding. Likewise, overusing visual elements can result in the infographic being overwhelming and difficult to read. Therefore, it is important to thoughtfully consider where you are placing the visuals that you include. Ensure visuals do not interfere with the text (or other elements) or make the infographic overcrowded.

Specialized language and jargon

Limit specialized language and jargon.

To ensure an infographic is accessible, the language used must be understandable and simple. Specialized language can be intimidating and confusing, so it's important to use clear language language. If no suitable alternative can be found for a specialized term, try to provide a definition or additional context. Unless it is pre-determined that your intended audience is solely those within a specific field of study, do your best to consciously consider the language you use and make changes accordingly. This is especially relevant for qualitative research as there will be more reliance on text than information-based visual elements.

Word Count

Aim for 200-250 words.

Less is (usually) more. With this mantra in mind, try and limit the number of words on your infographic to 200-250 words. Feedback from focus groups suggested that infographics with less than 150 words were too sparse and did not fully represent the original research article, while infographics with over 300 words were visually text-heavy, dense and hard to navigate.

Quotations

Integrate quotations if possible.

A well-placed quotation can act as the focal point of an infographic. A quotation from a participant can add a human-element to the research or, if this is not available, a quote that summarizes an aspect of the article can draw a potential reader in and get them interested in further interacting with the infographic.