Friday, October 3, 2014

Information Graphics & Communications

Developing and managing right deliverable depends on:
•  What makes the most sense to your audience
- What they will use, what they will be happy to see and WANT to engage in
•  The amount of content and if it’s mostly graphical, text-based, or a combination
•  Is it better suited for a standard informational based graphic, or a fun “themed” graphic?
•  Make sure the type of deliverable makes sense. Will it need translations, will it be on the web, emailed, printed?
•  Budget. What level project you are aiming for
•  Time frame


Primary types of infographics

Infographics
A variety of graphic types and sizes.

Infodocs
Information documents mostly text, longer in nature, some graphics.

Infobriefs
Text and graphic combination

Interactive graphics
Can be web-based, interactive graphics, and interactive infodocs or info briefs.


Process
1. Determine the right deliverable and ideal type of project. This includes not only criteria above, but a discussion or kick off call with the client and design team to analyze everything and determine the ideal end deliverable.

It helps to create a simple outline (creative brief) on what you want to create:

Project name: 
Project theme or subject (what it’s about?): 
Client: 
Project type: 
Need help with? (planning, writing, or just creative developing of graphic):
Budget: 
Time frame: 
Special instructions (important to note): 


2. Gather or create all the material you’ll need for the project. Text, data for the graphics that will be created, samples if applicable, graphic standards if applicable. Gather reports, papers, or other material that might apply to the dat that goes into this project.

3. Create a storyboard or rough outline of the infographic content. Either a very cleanly outlined world document, or Powerpooint presentation that spells out exactly what text and graphics will go on each page, or on each section of the infographic/document.

4. (IMPORTANT) Have ALL required parties review, revise, and eventually finalize and approve the content document before it god sin to creative development. It’s very expensive to recreate these projects, so important to get the storyline/storyboard/content correct before creating.

5. Provide all final material to design team for creation. Make sure schedule (timing), type of graphic, and budget are all in line and agreed upon.

At this stage, the content will either go directly into design mode if it’s a simple make sense project. If it’s more complex then:

6. Get rough outline or flow of content in the deliverable format. This ensures client has time to see the flow of content in the graphic format so they can review the way everything flows and how content is arranged so they can make adjustments before it goes into tighter graphic devilment.

7. Once the rough outline is ok, it goes into creative/graphic developing. Then a rough design draft is delivered for review.

8. Up to 3 review and revise cycles are typical. Anything considered “elaborate” taking a significant amount of time (such as adding new sections, totally redoing sections, or a LOT of edits) may require additional costs and time. This is a VERY important thing to note.

9. Final product delivered!  


Some other great infographic resources:

Starter kit
Useful tips, presentation, and ideas to help you understand the process better.

Infographics pricing guide
Gives you a breakdown on types of graphics, and costs…

How to create an infographic bog
More tips and tricks!
Infographics resource center
Samples, examples, tips and tricks.
Good place to view online types of interactive graphics

Direct samples
Each sample file is named according to the type of infographic.
© Creative work copyrighted 2001—2015 Mitchell Creative Group, LLC. Duplication, copying, or replication is prohibited. All content within samples are copyrighted by the individual brands and equally forbidden to be copied, distributed, or used in any way. They are meant only as examples.