The rise and fall of infographics

Data visualization, more commonly referred to as infographics, are the BIG thing these days, especially in social media. I get it because they are bold and beautiful. Moreover, they can convey a lot of data in a condensed and visually stylistic fashion. At times, they can make the complex exceptionally simple.

Now that the masses have discovered infographics and there are powerful software tools available that most anyone can use, their popularity has soared. Data visualization has gone mainstream.

As with anything that becomes wildly popular, infographics are all-too-often employed in a manner that leave critical thinkers scratching their heads. The first impression is “Wow! That’s really striking.” But after studying it for a minute, the second impression is “Wow! That’s really complicated.” 

There are plenty of examples of dynamic infographics that are artistically arresting, but dizzying to ready, practically bordering on incomprehensible. That hasn’t dimmed their popularity or discouraged anyone…yet.

The demand for infographics is high and this communications art form is apparently perceived as such a specialty that some have created businesses modeled after graphic design agencies. Here’s a prime example: Info Graphic World. Their value proposition: Infographic World is a data visualization firm, specializing in the creation of visually stunning infographics to help our clients communicate their message in a powerful manner. Check out their amazing portfolio.

Admirers of infographics will love The Infographics Showcase, an infographics design firm’s website that doubles as a repository for the “collection of the best infographics & data visualization on the Web!”  You’ll find some beauties here and examples that will make you scratch your head.

And here’s a blog devoted to the topic. Daily Infographics publishes a new infographic every day. They house quite a collection of infographics and data visualizations in 26 different categories. Some are incredible pieces of work. Click on the image to the left. It’s so large, I couldn’t possibly display it in this blog. Check the rest under Categories on their website. 

SIDEBAR: Imagine my surprise when I discovered the guys behind Daily Infographics are based in Austin Texas, the city I call home.That’s probably only interesting to me, but, what the heck, I just had to share.

Mashable loves infographics and employs them liberally and to much fanfare. They use them often enough that they created a section to house them, appropriately titled Mashable Infographics. In an unexpected twist, one of their contributing writers acknowledged that many aren’t to be taken seriously. To wit: “For a medium that leans toward the amusing, infographics can occasionally be enlightening or even helpful for later reference.”

“Amusing” and “occasionally enlightening” are not a powerful endorsements. I anticipate that sentiment, along with fatigue due to oversaturation and ill-advised and gimmicky implementations will eventually lead to some kind of backlash.

The infographic depicting the rise and fall of infographics might prove quite amusing and enlightening of itself.

LiveJournal Tags: data visualization,infographics,info graphics world,daily infographics,infographics showcase,Mashable,copywriting,precision in communication,ghost writing,ad copy freelance,marketing communications consultant,social media writer,blogging