Why We Love The Infographic

If a picture is worth a thousand words, an infographic is a picture that can speak much more than a thousand words. These visual representations of information attract readers and simplify complex data that might otherwise be confusing. From maps to signs, infographics have emerged as a powerful communication tool that cuts through the growing information jungle.

Human beings first used images in the form of cave paintings before they developed language. Then, around 7500 BC, the first maps were made. The roots of modern information graphics go back to William Playfair's use of graphics to explain the economy of eighteenth-century England. Charles Minard, a French engineer, came up with the groundbreaking map of Napoleon's ill-fated march to Moscow in 1812.

Infographics took a definitive shape when sociologist Otto Neurath started the Isotype movement calling for a universal language without words. "Words separate, pictures unite," believed Neurath. He wanted to create a language that helped in visual education. Neurath tried to sweep away the web of words around knowledge and make it accessible to everyone.

In 1931, engineer Henry Beck created an infographic that has become a classic example of how a single picture can simplify and convey even the most complex types of data. Beck's map of London Underground eliminates confusing and unnecessary topography. It only illustrates what the commuters need to know stations, connections and routes. A turning point of the infographics revolution was when words gave space to graphics in newspapers and the era of visual journalism began.

Every day of our existence adds up to mindboggling data. Experts compile statistics and facts on economies, human behavior, climate conditions, governments, etc. If this rising pile of data was just something to be collected, not analyzed and understood, infographics would not be needed. What makes an infographic important is the need to convey the information to other people.

The use of infographic goes beyond making information more persuasive to its intended audience; its prime objective is to attract people to information. A study done by the Poynter Institute, a journalism training center, found that 87% of readers read an article because of its infographic.

The popularity of information graphics lies in the fact that it is not merely a translation of information. A good infographic also becomes a tool for turning information into knowledge. This may be the reason British graphic designer, Nigel Holmes, categorizes his work as "explanation graphics". For Holmes, who calls himself an information architect, it's all about making unaware people understand even the most complex information.

A well-constructed infograph should help people look into the image and deduce its meaning, patterns and purpose. Information design guru, Edward Tufte, says in his book Envisioning Information, "We envision information in order to reason about, communicate, document, and preserve that knowledge -- activities nearly always carried out on two-dimensional paper and computer screen. Escaping this flatland and enriching the density of data displays are the essential tasks of information design."

Before the digital age, the infographic was limited in its static and motion methods of communication. Maps, newspaper graphics, product manuals, etc illustrated information at a glance. Through its motion method, information took the shape of linear sequences like those found in animated infographics.

Computers and the internet brought in an information avalanche. Catching people's attention and sustaining it became a lot tougher. The infographic also changed its role to become more interactive in its method of communication. Besides being instructive and explanatory, these web-based graphics acquired simulative properties and became more popular with people. For example, maps were always there but computers made it possible for us to zoom in on locations.

The infographic, in its modern avatar, has moved from just the dissemination of news and information to connecting us to various super-specialized fields. Complex scientific theories, financial ideas, political strategies, etc. are now just an infographic away for most of us. Whether they are in print or online, infographics are a valuable tool for communicating information and ideas with the interested reader and the community at large.