Infographics represent an effective way to express health promotion content in a visually engaging manner. There are many approaches to creating infographics, but there are also best practices so readers understand the information quickly and effectively.
Six Best Practices for Creating Infographics:
1) Stick to one main point. An infographic isn't meant to contain a lot of information like a book or a blog. It is meant to visually express data or supporting information for one main point, like the benefits of brushing and flossing teeth. Each element of an infographic works towards that main point.
2) Let the visuals do the talking. Visuals are an extremely important part of infographics, so include graphics along with the text, data or supporting arguments. As an exercise, make sure the infographic makes sense even after taking away most of the text. Ultimately the text should help the reader understand what the data is showing, but the reader can still grasp the points without it.
3) Have the content flow. When the reader views the infographic for the first time, are they following the content in the right order or is the information scattered? Ensure the flow of the infographic by placing elements in the correct order or use an actual line, arrow or other visual indicator to physically direct the reader where to go.
4) Consider the type of fonts needed. Select 2-3 complementary fonts, if fonts are not automatically provided in a template. Many infographics have smaller text since there's an emphasis placed on visual elements, so try not to use decorative or cursive fonts which can be difficult to read at first glance.
5) Select a basic color scheme. Unless the color scheme is automatically provided in a template, consider using 2-3 colors, just like the number of fonts. You may want to stick to a basic color scheme to convey the content. When it comes to colors, there are some exceptions though: if you're using a range of shades of colors, it is more acceptable to create a multicolored infographic.
6) Include the citation information. When completing the infographic, ensure you include the correct sources you used to create to create the content such as statistics or information from magazines, journals, reports, associations and more.
For more details about these best practices, please visit the following website where this information was obtained: https://visme.co/blog/infographic-best-practices/
Visme. (2019). 6 infographic best practices for creating jaw-dropping infographics. Retrieved from https://visme.co/blog/infographic-best-practices/
In the Virtual Makerspace research guide, select the tab "Virtual Tools" and then select "Online Design Tools" to find a listing of free and popular apps to create infographics.
"Word 2016" has infographic templates as well. In the search box, "Search for Online Templates," type "Infographics" to find the existing templates they provide for users. The templates are numbered and available under "PowerPoint."
