Piktochart

An infographic is a visual representation of information. Infographics can be seen as charts or diagrams or a creative image meant to express information.

Data journalists make use of infographics as a tool to represent the story that they are trying to express.

In class we went over different websites that offer a way for people to create infographics for free.

The webite that I used was http://piktochart.com/

Piktochart offers a series of templates and options for users to pick from to create their free infographs. There is also the option to create an infograph from scratch on the website itself.

Personally, I created an infographic on PlayStation console launch prices. I was able to create a chart to show the prices of the different PlayStation consoles the year they came out and compare them the their prices in the year 2013.

The website let me choose different types of graphs. I was also able to customize the colors of the graph, the backgrounds, and the fonts for each block. There are also a series of fonts that you can choose from when creating your infographic.

Apart from the graph stating the prices of each PlayStation console, I also added a section focusing mainly on the PlayStation 4. There was an area that stated the overall number of ps4 consoles shipped worldwide within the first year. And there was a section for suggested launch prices in selected countries.

Piktochart gave me the option to select from a wide range of images. There is also a search bar when looking for an image that will select the closest picture to your search for you. There are also different types of images, from clipart to real pictures.

For the section that mentioned the number of consoles shipped worldwide, I added a clipart image of a controller. I was able to find this easily by searing “playstation” in the search bar.

In the other section – suggested launch prices in selected countries – I was able to find the flag of each of the countries I had selected.

Infographs in general are used to help the readers understand a large collection of data at an easier rate.

Infographics offer information in a more compressed form. If I were to type out each PlayStation console, the year it was created, the price of the console during that year, and the price of the console in 2013, it would take line after line to complete. But the infograph allowed me to give that information in a chart form – or a single image.

Viewers are able to understand the intended information easily in a smaller space.

Piktochart offers a series of possible charts, images, templates, and more that allow users to create a general infographic. One of the importance factors in creating a successful infograph is making something that is “catchy”. Piktochart offers a good selection, especially for beginners, in creating good infographics that are appealing to the eye.

It is important to select a combination of colors that go well together. The images should also flow easily with the rest of the infographic. There should be a sense of unity with the overall image.

Apart from that, the images used should be logical and relevant to the information being presented. There are people that are extremely visual, and the use of contradictory images could confuse them in the long run.

These are just a few of many different factors that people need to keep in mind when creating an infograph. Piktochart is a great website to start with. It also gives the option to share your infographs with other users and create a general network through the website itself.