Infographic

Washington DC subway map infogram.

Infographics is the discipline that deals with complex visual diagrams, whose objective is to summarize or figuratively explain information or texts, using more varied visual and even auditory means than the mere diagram or diagram.

In it there are various types of graphics and non-linguistic and linguistic signs (pictograms, ideograms, logograms and sketches) that form descriptions, expository, argumentative or narrative sequences and even interpretations.

The figurative graphic presentation surrounds or glosses the specific texts and may or may not take the form of an animated sequence that may even include sound.

First of all didactic intent, infographics were born as a means of transmitting information graphically in a more dynamic, lively and imaginative way than the merely typographic one, since it facilitates quick memorization of the topic in question. The documents produced with this technique are called infogramas.

Features

Infogram on the results of the 1936 Spanish elections.

Infogram in Portuguese on the disaster of the Hindenburg leader.

Modernly, the term has been extended to designate dynamic or explicit and interactive animated diagrams that integrate a computer-generated or computer-generated image. They appear, for example, in the electronic press to inform sequentially and didactically about complex phenomena in a summarized way so as not to spend more time reading a long text.

In the two-dimensional environment, its most common and repeated pattern consists of placing an image in the central content and, on its sides, information friezes with images and explanatory texts arranged sequentially; With the help of a computer program, this sequence can run and develop over time, as a presentation, in stages. As already said, infographics is mainly applied in magazines, documents, newspapers, brochures, Internet portals, education, books, etc. The purpose is that the graphics draw the attention of the viewer due to the colors, images or designs. As its visual impact is very high, it causes the publication to go viral and exponentially increases its reach.

The infographic should resemble a news item or news article and therefore answer the questions what, who, when, where, how and why; but, in addition, it must show visual elements and be guided by a journalistic criterion that not only disseminates, but deepens and improves the information of the contexts it addresses at all times, taking into account that the main obstacle it must face is its unintelligibility. To combat it, journalistic infographics must meet these eight characteristics:

• To give meaning to full and independent information.
• To provide up-to-date information.
• Let us understand the events that occurred.
• Have written information with type forms.
• It contains precise iconic elements.
• That it may have sufficient and left-over information capacity to have its own entity, or perform synthesis or complement functions of written information.
• It provides a certain aesthetic feeling (not essential).
• That it does not contain errors, contradictions or lack of concordance.

Typology

There are three main groups of infographics:

1. static Infographics. They are graphic compositions whose elements are fixed and contain from the beginning all the information you wish to include.
2. Dynamic Infographics. They are presented in video or gif format.
3. Interactive Infographics. All those that allow us to interact with the content shown.

Infoarchitecture

Infoarchitecture or Architecture Visualization (ARCHVIZ) is a form of infographics that specifically refers to the virtual creation of environments through computer programs and image design that try to imitate the three-dimensional world by calculating the behavior of light, the volumes, the atmosphere, the shadows, the textures, the camera, the movement, etc. These techniques, based on complex mathematical calculations, can try to achieve real images (photorealism) or not. In architecture, modeling, decoration, fashion and costume design, mechanical engineering and furniture design, these types of computer graphics programs are quite common, such as Autocad, etc.