Infographics
Infographics are nothing new. They originated in English-speaking countries over 200 years ago. Since the 1970s they’ve been a firm feature of newspapers, magazines and corporate communications in this country too.
“A good infographic presents data and tells a story visually. It’s primarily designed to make information more tangible and easier to understand than is possible with a text. When it comes to the design, form has to follow function. In no other creative discipline is there a closer interplay between content and form, designer and author. That’s what makes it so exciting, but so difficult as well. Good information designers are visual storytellers who think in journalistic terms. They question their sources and engage closely with the topic they’re working on. They’re mindful in the way they deal with data and information to present facts in simplified, attractive and catchy form. The digital world poses particular challenges for information designers. They have to rethink infographics for digital formats and adapt them to the setting. Unfortunately infographics that go beyond mere diagrams are few and far between in business reports. Companies fail to harness their representational power as often as they should. That’s a shame. Why not do more to illustrate corporate strategies, technical processes, business models and strategic advances?”
Jürg Trösch
Published in a special publication on the Swiss Annual Report Rating
