The applications depend highly on the requirements of the output and the preferences of the designer. Like in any other craft, the used tools will inevitably influence the end result.

Here are some tools we use at Interactive Things:

1. Exploration
To clean up the raw data we often use tools like:

• Google Docs (http://docs.google.com)
• Google Refine (http://code.google.com/p/google-refine)
• Numbers (http://www.apple.com/iwork/numbers)
• Textmate (http://macromates.com)

2. Sketching / Concept / Strategy
We start with the basics of pen and paper to rapidly sketch out ideas. After that we decide on the most readable, elegant and engaging visualization techniques to represent the data. We then move on with these concepts and evaluate feasibility and the best fitting technology to use.

3. Design & Implementation
Oftentimes we can't really separate these two steps as we use scripts to generate vector graphics that then get refined manually in other applications.

3.1 Generating the graphs
If the data is too complex to produce the visualization manually, we write helper programs that generate the vectors for us based on the data. Oftentimes we do this by using Javascript and SVG or Processing while we store the data in a plain JSON or XML file.

3.2 Refine the graphs
After that, we open up the SVG in a vector editing application like Adobe Illustrator where we refine the visualization and put everything else in place. This step includes creating the layout, setting the typography of the title, labels, legends, source and additional copy. Furthermore this is when we finalize the color scheme. In certain cases we take the artwork to Photoshop to add some finishing touches.

3.3 Post Production
To optimize the images for media (print or web) and devices we take some additional steps in Adobe Photoshop or Acrobat to ensure a streamlined production process.

3.4 3D
If needed, a 3D application like Cinema 4D (http://www.maxon.net) can be used for isometrics or more complex 3D representations.

3.5 Interactive
With the raise of the market share of modern web browsers, we use HTML5 as our primary tool for interactive visualizations for the web. We rely on libraries like:

• D3 (http://mbostock.github.com/d3)
• Arbor.js (http://arborjs.org)
• Protovis (http://vis.stanford.edu/protovis)
• Raphael (http://raphaeljs.com)
• Processing.js (http://processingjs.org)

If we need to consider older browsers or have other constraints we are also happy to use Flash (http://www.adobe.com/products/flash.html).

Creating infographics involves organizing data, selecting the right visual elements (like charts, icons, and images), and ensuring everything is presented clearly. Software like Adobe Illustrator and Canva is often used to create infographics. I’ve collaborated with DolFinContent, and they use tools like Illustrator and Photoshop to create polished, professional infographics. Start by gathering your data and deciding on the message you want to convey, then design a layout that guides the viewer through the information. Color, typography, and icons all play a big role in making your infographic effective.

Certainly! Both infographics and statistical data visualizations use visuals and numbers to convey information, but they serve different purposes and are designed in distinct ways. Here’s a detailed comparison:

Infographic

Purpose:

• Infographics are designed to tell a story or present information in a way that is engaging and easy to understand.
• They often aim to provide an overview or summary of a topic, combining visuals, text, and data.

Design:

• Infographics are typically highly stylized and visually appealing, using a variety of graphical elements such as icons, illustrations, and decorative fonts.
• They often include a mix of data points, explanatory text, and visual elements to guide the viewer through the information.
• The design is usually less formal and more creative, often incorporating vibrant colors and artistic elements to attract attention.

Content:

• Infographics can include a wide range of information, from factual data and statistics to explanatory text and narrative elements.
• They are often used for marketing, education, and awareness campaigns to simplify complex information and make it accessible to a broader audience.

Example Uses:

• Summarizing a report or study findings.
• Explaining a process or concept.
• Highlighting key statistics or trends in a visually engaging manner.

Statistical Data Visualization

Purpose:

• Statistical data visualizations are designed to present quantitative data in a precise, clear, and objective manner.
• They aim to help viewers analyze and understand patterns, trends, and relationships within the data.

Design:

• Statistical visualizations prioritize accuracy and clarity over artistic elements. The design is more formal and structured.
• Common types include charts, graphs, maps, and plots (e.g., bar charts, line graphs, scatter plots, heat maps).
• The visual elements are typically standardized, using minimalistic and functional design to ensure the data is easily interpretable.

Content:

• Focuses on presenting raw data or statistical analysis results, often without much additional explanatory text.
• The visual representation is intended to facilitate data analysis and interpretation, making it easier to identify trends, outliers, and correlations.

Example Uses:

• Displaying sales data over time to identify trends.
• Comparing the performance of different products or services.
• Showing the distribution of a dataset through histograms or box plots.

Key Differences

• Narrative vs. Analytical: Infographics tell a story or provide an overview, while statistical data visualizations present data for analysis.
• Design: Infographics are more creative and stylized, whereas statistical visualizations are more formal and functional.
• Content: Infographics combine data with explanatory text and visuals, while statistical visualizations focus on the data itself.
• Purpose: Infographics aim to engage and inform a broad audience, while statistical visualizations aim to provide clear and precise data insights.

Data Visualization: Definition: Data visualization is the visual representation of data using charts, graphs, and other visual elements. Its purpose is to make complex data more understandable and accessible. Key Points: Visual Representation: Data visualizations use graphics to convey information. Objective: To help viewers quickly grasp insights from data. Examples: Line charts, bar graphs, scatter plots, heatmaps, etc. Metadata and Sources: Typically include metadata, sources, and definitions. Dynamic Data: Often sourced from spreadsheets or data warehouses, allowing real-time updates.

Dashboard: Definition: A dashboard is a visual display of selected Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that provides an overview of progress toward specific objectives. Key Points: Purpose: To offer centralized data and allow tracking at a glance. Content: Contains essential metrics relevant to a specific goal. Real-Time Monitoring: Shows progress in real-time. Example Metrics: Social media engagement, website traffic, conversion rates, etc.

Infographic: Definition: An infographic is a visual representation that combines images, charts, and minimal text to convey information or tell a story. Key Points: Simplicity: Minimal text, heavy reliance on visuals. Static: Usually contains fixed, unchanging data. Purpose: To simplify complex concepts or data. Examples: Illustrated timelines, process flowcharts, comparison graphics.

Report: Definition: A report is a detailed document that analyzes data related to a specific topic or campaign. It communicates performance and often includes recommendations. Key Points: Depth: Provides in-depth analysis over a period. Objective: To help readers devise strategies based on data. Content: Tables, charts, graphs, and insights. Example: A social media performance report for Q1 with actionable recommendations.

Statistics: Definition: Statistics involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to draw conclusions or make informed decisions. Key Points: Mathematical Science: Involves mathematical techniques. Descriptive vs. Inferential: Descriptive statistics summarize data, while inferential statistics make predictions. Examples: Mean, median, standard deviation, hypothesis testing.

Analytics: Definition: Analytics refers to the process of examining data to uncover patterns, trends, and insights. Key Points: Insight Generation: Focuses on understanding data. Types: Descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics. Applications: Business, marketing, finance, healthcare, etc.

This article has a bunch of good tips.
http://thenextweb.com/apps/2011/08/16/tips-tricks-and-resources-to-make-your-own-gorgeous-infographics/

This article lists 10 decent, free tools, including the impressive IBM Many Eyes.
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/awesome-free-tools-infographics/

There are also infographic infographics:

More tips here: http://www.jwz.org/blog/2011/05/how-to-make-a-shitty-infographic/

Creating infographics involves structuring data, choosing the right visual elements (charts, icons, and illustrations), and ensuring clarity in design. Tools like Canva, Piktochart, and Venngage make it easy to create visually appealing infographics with drag-and-drop functionality and pre-made templates. I’ve collaborated with DolFinContent, and they use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop for high-quality, custom infographics tailored to specific branding needs. Start by defining your message, selecting an appropriate layout, and using colors, typography, and icons to enhance readability. A well-designed infographic not only looks great but also helps communicate complex information effectively.

Infographics, data visualizations, and charts are all used to present data and information visually, but they have some differences in their purpose, design, and complexity:

1. Infographics: Infographics are visual representations of information, data, or knowledge designed to communicate complex information in a clear and concise manner. They often combine text, images, and data visualizations to present information in a visually appealing and memorable way. Infographics can be used to convey a wide range of information, from statistics and trends to instructions and comparisons.
2. Data Visualizations: Data visualizations are graphical representations of data and information. They are used to present complex data sets in a way that is easy to understand and interpret. Data visualizations can take many forms, including charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams, and they are often used to reveal patterns, relationships, and trends in data.
3. Charts: Charts are graphical representations of data that use a specific format to display the data. Charts can be used to show comparisons, trends, and patterns in data. Common types of charts include bar charts, line charts, pie charts, and scatter plots.

In summary, while all three - infographics, data visualizations, and charts - use visual representations to communicate data and information, infographics are more comprehensive in their design, data visualizations are more focused on presenting complex data sets, and charts use a specific format to display data.

The graphic you reference was created using Processing (http://www.processing.org/), a powerful language for creating data-based pictures and animations. There are several such languages out there (e.g. R and Nodebox). They are wonderful tools that require varying amounts of learning, but to do something complex with large datasets they are the right approach.

Specifically to your question about photoshop: Absolutely you can create data visualizations with photoshop. When I started out, that was the tool I was most comfortable with, so I produced a lot of work with it. However, it's worth noting that you're signing yourself up for a lot of manual work. For example, if you want to make a line chart in photoshop, you're going to be drawing each segment of that line by hand. But with patience and some foresight it can absolutely work. As with a lot of learning, doing things the hard way first can lead to some important realizations.

That being said, I never use photoshop for data visualization work anymore. Illustrator is a much better tool for a variety of reasons (not least of which is the built in charting tools).

But more importantly, Illustrator is the very last step in a longer workflow that usually begins with Excel for prototyping, moves to Nodebox or Processing for generating images and finally to one of the following:
- Illustrator for print work
- FlexBuilder for interactive rich applications
- Adobe AfterEffects for motion graphics
Note that this workflow assumes you're working with large datasets, If you're doing something with a small set of data, going straight to illustrator is great. Keep in mind too that with some time spent formatting (and depending on your output requirements), Excel is a perfectly good tool as well.

There are two bits of reading I would strongly recommend. First is this article on the FlowingData website:
http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/03/what-visualization-toolsoftware-should-you-use-getting-started/
It is a great place to start - and the comments that follow have some good insight.

From there, if you want to really dig in, buy the book by that same author:
http://book.flowingdata.com/
I have dozens of data visualization books, and this is the only one that actually covers *creating* data visualizations (as opposed to just talking about them academically, or providing examples).

(by the way, I do not know the author (Nathan Yau) but I follow his blog)

I hope this is helpful...

This is an infographic about "what is an infographic" in a Fun LEGO Design. A good infographic is simple and requires very little text. Simple and fun, this is a really good design that has had some phenomenal success in social media sharing.

-Anuj
Founder
feedspot.com

First of all, you need a clear understanding of the purpose of your infographic: educational, statistical, informational, persuasive.

Next there’s a stage of data gathering and analysis. You imagine, what types of infographic will suit your pool of data and what schemes/charts/visual might be needed.

After that there’s a draft stage - you use pen and paper or a designated software to create a first draft to show to your team and look for improvements.

The real fun begins in the implementation stage, where your infographics becomes a whole, an idea, implemented in graphic design. There might be some hiccups here, although it can also go fine.

And the most gratifying stage - presentation:

Image credential

I do not claim to be an expert in all of these methods. The eye has a marvelous capacity to find patterns and interpret data. Thus the way one chooses to present the information is to simplify the interpretation of data. That is to display the patterns in the data in the most interpretable and informative way.

This, of course, is highly dependent upon the data and the possible interpretations. In addition, there may be many ways to look at the data so it might be desirable for the user to select particular views and apply different filters to the data.

Thus you might use a pie chart in cases where the data reflects some fraction of a total. A bar chart where a set of discrete values are compared. A graph if there appears to be a functional relationship involved. Tables would be needed where raw data needs to be examined. Maps are useful if geographic information is involved. Infographics presents visual comparisons. And a dashboard would provide means for the user to select and filter data and provide alternative views of the data.

These can be combined in various ways as well. One also needs to consider multi-variate data beyond simple x, y coordinates and how best to describe that. A simple example would be a temperature map which may display a third dimension as variations in colors on a two dimensional plane.

We all know that humans are extremely visual creatures. This is why we never really settle for one design. We see brands being recreated and ads changing incessantly because our eyes are always hungry for more.

Such is the case for infographics. Where we used to be content with static images bearing information, a lot of audiences now find the traditional approach boring. This has paved the way to animated infographics.

Here are some of the best ones out there so far:

• The Complete History of Social Media

This infographic makes use of an adorable snow monster pointing at critical years in the history of social media. Once the pointer is hovered over a specific period, the information pops out beside it.

http://avalaunchmedia.com/history-of-social-media/

• Hungry Tech Giants

This infographic used a very simple approach, but managed to squeeze in so much information in a single page. It basically shows the acquisition strategies of tech giants over the past 15 years, comparing them both in terms of cost and frequency. You can also filter the number according to categories like mobile, media, social, etc. This makes it even easier to look at the data you need.

http://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/microsites/hungry-tech/

• The Evolution of the Web

The main landing page gives you options to change the language, then it leads you to a visual spectrum of information about browsers and different technologies, as well as a timeline that shows the growth of the internet.

http://www.evolutionoftheweb.com/?hl=en

• How a Car Engine Works

This is a great infographic in the sense that you actually see the engine and its different parts moving as you look at descriptions of what each part is called and what it does.

http://general.animagraffs.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/car-engine/engine-02.gif

• Plugging In: How Small Businesses Use Technology

We all know how friendly technology has been to small businesses and start-ups, and this infographic explains it beautifully.

https://www.good.is/infographics/interactive-infographic-plugging-in-how-small-businesses-use-technology

Hope this helps!

Thank you Quora User for you A2A

Edrow Max is one of the best infographic software, Infographic Software - Make Great-looking Infographics very good to create a great infographics

and for web platform Canva Amazingly Simple Graphic Design Software really easy to drag and drop elements to create artistic infographics.

Hope That helps :)

I have come across a number of great animated infographics but these are the ones that are etched in my memory, for the right reasons:

1) Species in Pieces by Bryan James

This interactive infographic project deserves to be on the top of this list for the exceptional creativity that has gone into each element. In Pieces covers 30 interesting but endangered species. The project aims to spread awareness about the grim reality of the species facing extinction. Do check it out.

2) How a Car Engine Works

This is an infographic by Jacob O Neil that does what an infographic is supposed to do: it translates complex information into digestible bits which are easily understood by anyone. So once you go through it, you will pretty much know how a car engine actually operates. Also, he has a number of other amazing infographics on his site that you should definitely see.

3) How Google Works by QuickSprout

I came across this really useful infographic that explains the working of Google in a really interactive way. In it, you will see how spiders fetch the web and how Google decides what to show you as a result for the input query (did you know that this search engine asks 200 questions before you showing you an answer and that it all happens in 1/8th of a second).

It is a matter of choice and personal experiences but here are some tips that might help you create appealing info graphics:

1. Choose a topic that is interesting and relevant to your target audience. Your info graphic should be something that people will want to read and share.
2. Use clear and concise language. Your info graphic should be easy to understand, even if people are not experts in the topic.
3. Use visuals to communicate your data. Info graphics are all about visuals, so make sure you use them to your advantage.
4. Keep your info graphic visually appealing. Use a consistent design and color scheme, and make sure your info graphic is easy to read.
5. Proofread your info graphic carefully. Before you share your info graphic with the world, make sure you proofread it for any errors.

In addition, several tools ranging for a word processing software such as MS Word to graphics designing software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Coral draw can be used.

Many of the best visualizations are created using a custom solution (ie. not just plugging data in & getting a visualization out). If you're looking for some semi-automatic charts and graphs that involve something closer to plug-and-play, you can look at Tabluau http://www.tableausoftware.com or Many Eyes http://www-958.ibm.com/software/data/cognos/manyeyes/.

If you have some programming experience, Google Visualization (http://code.google.com/apis/chart/interactive/docs/reference.html) might not be a bad place to go and, if you don't mind learning a new tool, Processing (http://processing.org/) (which is basically an extension on top of Java) can be very powerful.

If you just want to get started with some simple non-coding visualizations, I wrote a chapter for Beautiful Visualization (http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920000617.do) called Once Upon a Stacked Time Series. It walks through a number of different visualization types and has a tutorial at the end that goes through getting the data, using Excel to parse & sort the data, finding the elements you want to highlight and then using Photoshop to finalize the infographic.

You can download my chapter for free here: http://www.politicalmathblog.com/?p=491

There are 2 requirements for creating an infographic -

• Information
• Graphics

.

The information is your responsibility to arrange, but for graphics …

I’m gonna tell you about a secret tool that is gonna help you create stunning infographics even with 0 knowledge & understanding of Graphic Design

The tool is Free 😍 & its name is …

👉 Infogram

.

It's a Free online tool for creating professional & trendy graphics (infographics)

All you have to do is select one infographic template from the Vast repository of infographics & start editing.

How you will edit it?

Simple - drag & drop 😊

In a maximum of 10 minutes, your ready-to-present infographic will be ready to be shared across the internet.

Are you excited?

Are you ready to Wow your friends with killer infographics?

If yes, then …

Upvote this answer for good Karma 😉

Let’s assume that we run a school together. Our school has 10 classes with each class having strength of 30 students. Assuming that we teach Mathematics to all the classes, if I ask you to let me know in short about the performance of students of all classes (or, represent the data i.e, grades of the students) in Mathematics, what is the best way for you to answer (keep in mind that your answer should help me in deciding which class performs the best)? Let’s think of a few…..

1. Provide me the list of students of all classes and grades secured by them in Mathematics.
2. Take the data of student’s grades in Mathematics, analyse yourself and answer me.
3. Take the data of student’s grades in Mathematics, prepare 10 bar charts, each representing the grades of students belonging to that particular class. Show the charts to me.
4. Plot a graph of No. of students passed Vs Classes, show it to me.

Of the above methods, fourth one provides a very clear idea of performance of students of all classes in one go. Here it is a graph that helped me to understand/analyse the data/information quickly.

Such graphical representation of information or data using various graphical techniques is known as infographics. Now this graphical representation can be shown to me by drawing it on a paper/board, taking picture/image of one such plot and showing it, making video of graph’s plotting step by step and showing it,etc..

Thus images are just a format used to show the inforgraphics.

Hope this helps! Thanks for A2A.

It’s really easy to distinguish graphs, diagrams and infographics, the definitions show as following:

1. Graphs: a set of vertices and edges;
2. Diagrams: a specific kind of visual display;
3. Infographics: graphic visual representations of information, data, image and so on intended to present information quickly and clearly.

Actually, the main differences show as following:

1. The graph is more like a kind of image or a specific general chart. In other words, the graph mainly represents the general chart and graph which can be made in Microsoft Office or other office tools;
2. However, the diagram is a more professional visual display. Plus it can be categories by the specific subjects;
3. Finally, the infographic is a combination of image, information, data, etc, it classified by the usage, like the business, education, food, medical and so on.

Hope this answer will help you to figure out their differences!!!

Infographic design is the visual representation of information, data, or knowledge in a format that is easy to understand, engaging, and visually appealing. Infographics use a combination of text, images, charts, and diagrams to convey complex information quickly and clearly. They are designed to present information in a visually compelling way, making it easier for viewers to grasp concepts, trends, or data points without having to read lengthy texts.

Here are the key elements and principles of infographic design:

1. Simplicity and Clarity:

• Infographics should simplify complex information, distilling it into its essential components.
• Use clear and concise language to explain concepts or data points.

2. Visual Elements:

• Icons and Illustrations: Visual representations like icons and illustrations help convey ideas and make the infographic visually appealing.
• Charts and Graphs: Bar charts, pie charts, line graphs, etc., are used to represent numerical data in a visually understandable manner.
• Diagrams and Maps: Flowcharts, diagrams, and maps can illustrate processes, hierarchies, or geographical information.
• Color Scheme: Choose a cohesive color palette that enhances readability and reinforces the infographic's theme.

3. Hierarchy and Layout:

• Arrange content in a logical flow, guiding the viewer's eye from one section to another.
• Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to create a hierarchy of information.
• Pay attention to spacing and alignment for a clean layout.

4. Storytelling:

• Infographics often tell a story or convey a narrative. Arrange information in a sequential order to guide the viewer through the content.

5. Audience Consideration:

• Design the infographic with the target audience in mind. Consider what information would be most relevant and engaging for them.

6. Data Accuracy:

• If the infographic includes data, ensure that the data is accurate and from reliable sources. Provide proper citations if necessary.

Uses of Infographics:

1. Data Presentation: Infographics are used to present statistical data and research findings in a visually understandable way. They can represent trends, comparisons, and correlations effectively.
2. Educational Purposes: In educational materials, infographics simplify complex topics, making them more accessible to students. They can be used in textbooks, presentations, and e-learning modules.
3. Marketing and Advertising: Infographics are commonly used in marketing campaigns to showcase product features, benefits, and comparisons with competitors. They can also be used to present survey results and customer testimonials.
4. Social Media: Infographics are highly shareable on social media platforms. They are used to convey interesting facts, tips, or trends, increasing engagement and reach.
5. Reports and Presentations: In business reports and presentations, infographics help break down large amounts of data into digestible chunks, making it easier for stakeholders to understand the information.
6. Healthcare and Public Awareness: Infographics are used in healthcare to convey information about diseases, treatments, and preventive measures. They are also utilized in public awareness campaigns on various social issues.

In summary, infographics are versatile visual tools that simplify information, making it accessible and engaging for a wide range of audiences. Effective infographic design enhances communication, making complex data and concepts more comprehensible and memorable.

based on a main stream of informatics group's definition, the relationship between data and information is: information=data+meaning. That is to say, any meaningful data should be considered as information. That is also to say, that only some data with meaning become "information". Doesn't that mean information visualization is just a portion of data visualization that makes sense to readers? Isn't the job of all data visualization designers' to "give visual access to the subtle and the difficult-that is, the revolution of the complex" (Edward R Tufte)? If so, the job of all data visualization designers' is to let us to understand the data along with meaning, i.e.information. I cannot understand people would even separate these two into two different informatics research fields. We really should not be doing that because there is only one goal: display data with meaning, i.e., information.

As a Infographic designer in fiverr, I am qualified to answer this question.

Infographics

Normally infographics are designed in image format such as JPG and PNG.

It is also designed in PDF formats. PDF format has more features than image format.

The features are, the graphs, pie charts can be clickable and it opens new datas.

Finally, editable format such as AI, PSD, ESP. These formats can only be opened with Adobe software. These formats are also named as source files.

Source files are not used for publishing. Image formats are only used for publishing.

Motion Graphics

It is simply an animation, a short animation video or GIF.

It is mainly created for logos, illustrations and vectors.

Motion graphics file formats are Mp4, MOV, GIF, CSS, etc.,

The best type of infographic depends on the purpose and target audience. For example, if the goal is to present complex data in a visually appealing way, a data-driven infographic with charts and graphs may be more effective. On the other hand, if the objective is to explain a process or tell a story, a narrative infographic with illustrations and step-by-step information could be more suitable (Doukianou et al., 2021). Additionally, the best type of infographic is also influenced by factors such as the available data, the desired level of detail, and the overall design aesthetics.

I make info-graphics for many of my clients. This is my workflow for making motion info-graphics.

1 - Cut audio/narration/music in Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro.
2 - Put final audio in Final Cut Pro to use as reference during the animating process.
3 - Create still graphics assets in Illustrator or Photoshop.
4 - Import audio track and all still graphic assets into After Effects, create composition with the same timebase as the FCP project so that you can reference the original audio track and mark timecode.
5 - Animate in After Effects.
6 - Render composition with audio track.

The advantage of creating the audio track before you start animating is that you can custom tailor movement and other cues to the audio giving you a much more immersive experience.

An example of one of my info-graphics is found on the main page of my website: www.michaelmarantz.com