Who would have guessed that wondering about how Belgian biscuits got their name would bug me so much?
A couple of years ago I took part in an outdoor programme that involved 3 weeks without using (or even seeing) a cell phone. This was somewhat of a challenge at first, but after a couple of days of being without it, I learned to love the freedom. The main issue I had with being out of touch with the world wasn’t that I couldn’t see what my friends were eating for lunch, or share photos of the beautiful scenery I was immersed in; it was not being able to answer my random musings with a couple of taps of my finger.
Information overload
In today’s world, we are so used to having information at our fingertips, accessible from anywhere at any time. You can have any question answered in a matter of seconds just by typing it into Google. University assignments can be done without even setting foot in a library. Having so much information available to us instantaneously has opened up so many opportunities, but it has also made it more difficult to scrutinise the information and find what we truly need to know amid the tens of thousands of search results and the constant flow of new information.
The era of clickbait headlines, list articles (think, 10 ways to increase your productivity, or, Top 10 diet tips to get your summer body), has changed the way we take in information. With so much information being put in front of us every day, news outlets and social media gurus are constantly competing for our attention. The winners of this new game tend to be the outlets whose content can first capture us and then be digested the quickest.
In the research industry, the value of our work is in how thoroughly we do it, and the depth at which we analyse and understand it. However, if no one gets to read or understand the research, what value does it have? Global Research has realised the importance of providing quick, easy to digest summary information, as well as comprehensive reports. While it is essential to have an in-depth analysis in order to understand the data in the first place, distilling it to its essence so that a range of audiences can access the information is increasingly important. So how can we achieve that you ask? Infographics.
Infographics are a fantastic tool to capture an audience’s attention, and present information in an easy to understand, engaging way that is appealing to a large audience. Through the use of visual data and simple charts, readers can quickly digest information and understand the overall message being conveyed. Recently, Global Research has been offering our clients summary reports and infographics in addition to our usual comprehensive reports, which has helped a wider audience engage with these projects.
Infographics in public consultation
Public engagement is an excellent example of the value of infographics. Many of Global Research’s projects involve public engagement, and require us to put together reports that will be available to councils or organisations, as well as the public. In the interest of true public engagement, it is important that all the information be made available to members of the public, however the number of lay-people who would be willing to read a full 30+ page report is realistically pretty low. Providing a quick snapshot is a great way to enable understanding of overall project messages, without having to read a detailed report. From there, they can delve deeper if they choose, or close the tab and carry on with their day. Below are a couple of examples of infographics we have recently prepared for some Australasian Councils.
Using infographics to show how a public consultation project has engaged with the community helps readers understand where the data has come from.
Other uses for infographics
Infographics aren’t just handy for public consultation projects, but can help in all sorts of areas, from market research (if you are in charge of presenting a statistical report to a boardroom full of people, having a snazzy infographic up your sleeve is a good way to keep them interested, and prompt your talking points); to engaging more effectively on social media or presenting data to your customers. Virtually any type of report or publication can be made more interesting, eye-catching and accessible with an infographic.
A few things to keep in mind when designing an infographic
Simplicity
Written facts should be short and to the point, providing context and the essential information. Less is more.
Accessibility
Today’s world is wonderfully diverse and it is important that infographics reflect that. Using easy to recognise icons can help people with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds interpret the information.
Keep images and text clear and large, to make them easily digested.
Design
Limit the use of colours to prevent it from getting too ‘busy’. Ensure you are choosing colours that stand out from one another.
Oh yeah, about those Belgian biscuits. My grandma told me that they were originally called German biscuits, but more palatably named during the war to be from a neutral country – who needs Google?
Inset photo by: Matthew Guay on Unsplash