Infographics - the good, the bad and the downright ugly...

By Amanda Cruise, G2G3

The use of infographics as effective communications tools across IT enterprises is still a rather hit and miss affair. When they are good they can be hugely influential and brilliant works of art in their own right - creating understanding and simplicity where once there was complexity; when they are bad, boy can they be bad…. convoluted, obscure, monstrous creations that can strike fear into even the most hardened of techie hearts.

So, in the world of infographics, how does one tell good from bad, effective from downright destructive? The real test for success is the extent of their

distribution and use; high quality infographics can (and often do) go viral, because of their visual appeal and immediate effectiveness. When everyone starts to use, share and refer to an infographic as the centrepiece of a project or program it’s a sure sign of a winner. The best ones also frequently live on as examples of best practice in their own right, long after the initial catalyst for them is gone. For IT communications

the pay-offs are real and tangible: time and cost savings, easy to use marketing and branding tools that can demonstrate concrete added value, heighten visibility and raise the profile of IT company-wide. Not bad for what is sometimes disparagingly seen as a simple ‘poster’.

Conversely, poorly conceived and badly crafted infographics can have an almost diametrically opposite effect: confusing and discouraging the intended audience with obscure complexity; diluting or losing any core message in a sea of redundant statistics or text and even damaging the project or programme objectives by representing them in a misleading way. Infographics are meant to be a visual pleasure, not a seasickness-inducing nightmare.

Creating successful infographics requires considerable creative and artistic skill as well as strong knowledge input. So, proceed with caution. Before dashing off to create a new masterpiece, or worse, asking some poor IT manager to simply rustle one up in their lunch break, stop by the master of information display Edward Tufte and check out the superbly effective work of Megan Jaegerman for the New York Times. Equally, take a good look at what does NOT work.

Finally, if you’re drawn to more inspiring examples and additional tips on best practice you’ll find plenty to explore here and here.

And if you are looking to create some infographics for your own IT enterprise, drop us a line or give us a call. We'd be happy to help.