How to Make Infographics – Part 2

Hey guys! Payman again and this is part 2 of a multi-part series on how to create infographics. In part 1, I talked to you about what makes a good infographic and in this video, I’m going to talk to you about the types of infographics. There are 13 different types. I’m going to show you examples of each one and what type of content and data each one is composed of.

So, before we get there I’m going to talk to you about information in general. It is typically categorized in 1 or 5 ways. Content is categorized chronologically, alphabetically, geographically, and also categorically and this one I’ve always have a hard time saying, hierarchically or hierar-chically.

1. Mixed Charts

So, let’s go to the next part about the types of infographics. Number 1 is mixed charts. So mixed charts as a name applies is different types of charts and graphics combines into one infographic. And it’s basically best for many stats when you have a lot of stats, facts and figures, mixed charts would be a great format to utilize. For example in this infographic here, this is about the various stats on Kobe Bryant. So if you look at it, they’re utilizing a bar chart and also large stats and as well as radial charts and so on.

2. Informational / List

Number 2 is an informational list. This is actually a little bit of my least favorites because it’s pretty much mostly composed of text. Infographics are supposed to be visual with the small amounts of information or text. This one is kind of an opposite to that but at the same time it is a type of infographic and what typically happens in this is that the message is driven mostly by words and not so much by visual components.

3. Timeline

Number 3 is a timeline. This is actually very popular. You use it to pretty much show an evolution of something over a period of time, if you want to tell a story, it’s a great format to use. And also if you want to show these in a chronological order such as this example here, what we’re talking about classic cars on the big screen. So, you know, also it’s good for resumes and for telling grand stories. It’s actually a type often found in „About Us“ pages of various startups where they talk about the evolution of the startup from a certain year to another.

4. How To

Number 4 is How To. This is actually very common, the how to format. And what you’re really doing in this one is you have steps in creating something. So this one is a perfect post, it’s talking about the different steps to do that and in another aspect, how-tos could be a matter of phases, phase 1, 2 or 3 or it might be a matter of a process and so on.

5. Process

Number 5 is process. So process is another type of infographic and it is also referred to as a flow chart or a decision tree. It’s very common and often pretty much there’s enough flow charts about everything. The example here is about the process of brewing coffee.

6. Comparison

Six, comparison is also very popular. You see it all the time and what you do is you compare two products or two people or ideas or things next to each other. It might be two opposing things or two similar things. So, example here is categorized into the left and the right, they’re actually using the color variation of blue versus red to differentiate the two sides in terms of Netflix and Redbox.

7. Location

Now, number 7 is location and typically what happens in this one is utilize regions or maps and you combine it with icons and color code or regions. It’s used for comparing regional and global stats. And also what you do often is you can associate statistics with a very specific location. So there might be a country or region, you can actually utilize different statistics. It may not even be a population, it might be other general such as GDP values and other formats.

8. Photo-graphic

Next one is photo-graphic. So photo-graphic as the name applies, you basically do is combine images and graphical elements such as the example here. And in this one, what’s happened is you typically combine very simple lines and icons with the photograph. With the photograph is really the focal points and the secondary elements such as the line and texts are actually the follow through pieces or the accent elements.

9. Hierarchical

Number 9 is hierarchical. So, what happens in this one is you take information and you present it according to certain levels. Now pyramids such as the one I’m showing here is very common but you also may see it in different shapes as well.

10. Single Chart

Number 10 is a single chart. So a single chart is one type of chart and you use that as a focal point of your data visualization. So behind me is an example of the different heights of buildings where the one World Trade Center is the 4th at least as of 2014 tallest building in the world.

11. Visualized Numbers

Number 11 is visualizing numbers. So, ideal for adding visual interest to individual units of information and also you pretty much use it often for when you have various stats and figures. This one here is the Heathrow Airport In Numbers and there’s a number of different statistics and different figures and they’ve been organized in a way and in different sizes and colors to actually separate the components of the figures from each other.

12. Anatomical Numbers

Number 12 is anatomical. So, often used to create visual metaphors and also very often is used where you have the human body for example and you have information pointed to different parts of the human body to display certain stands and figures. But also, it may be used in other formats, it may not necessarily be the human body, it might be actual components, it might be a product and you actually use different pointers to that product.

13. Visual Resume

Number 13 is the visual resume. So, this is actually becoming very popular more and more. It is a way for jobseekers to make their resume stand out versus their competitors where in that case they may have just a text-based resume. So you basically do is you turn your text resume into more of a visual format and it’s a pretty much growing trend to spice up your resume.

So these are the 13 different types of infographics. Basically, no matter what type of infographic subject you want to create, you pretty much will fall into one of these. And the decision you have to make is that which one, which type is going to better allow you to present the information that you want to provide to your audience.

So we’re going to be talking more about that in the next few episodes and so that’s the 13 different types of infographics. Talk to you guys later.