A deeper dive into the psychology of data visualization
A superfood is a food that packs a ton of healthy vitamins and nutrients into a tasty morsel. Similarly, an infographic allows you to consume a lot of important or complex information at once. A superfood for your brain, if you will.
While you may be hesitant to use infographics since everyone and their mom seems to be doing it, research shows that people are still drawn to them and searching for them, like 800% more than they were just two years ago.
The secret to what makes infographics so effective lies within the psychology behind three basic components of these visual information superfoods. The specific components that speak to the workings of our brains are the content and data, the visual layout, and their inherent flow. Here’s a deeper dive.
Content and data: why simplicity is best
While an infographic must have reliable and vetted data and information, the way these findings are presented can mean the difference between a getting your point across and just another image that people glance at and just as quickly forget. Remember, the point of an infographic is to become the 1% of information that makes its way to the brain, so keeping your content simple and tailored to the psyche of your readers will make all the difference.
Take numerical data, for example, which many use infographics to relay. Believe it or not, people will respond differently to those numbers depending on if they are displayed as numbers or spelled out in words. Even though an infographic is a smart way to communicate important numerical highlights, incorrectly displaying them or even disproportionately blending numbers with words can immediately overwhelm the reader.
In short, understanding how your target audience receives information is an important factor in making sure your message sticks. Pro tip: simplicity is key. The more clear-cut you make the data and content to your readers, the easier it will be for them to identify the point.
Why we love graphics
Our brains are constantly looking for shortcuts to help make sense of what is going on around us. This is why graphics, the visual component of an infographic, are so impactful. Even though almost half of the brain is involved in visual processing, people tend to remember up to 80% of what they see, as opposed to just 20% of what they read. A picture really is worth a thousand words.
Another reason that we subconsciously look for ways to cull through information as fast as possible is because our brains process about 11 million signal inputs every second (that’s a lot of information). Graphics with the right use of colors and shapes can actually help people make connections and retain the information that you’ve laid out for them.
It is also important to remember that incorporating generous amounts of white space can be just as important as the graphics themselves. Without it, the design will be imbalanced and readers won’t instinctively know where to focus.
Why we crave order
Although it’s easy to view an infographic as nothing more than a visual means of conveying data and otherwise “heavy” material, without a strong flow, it will fall flat. This is because everybody loves a good story; we’re actually wired for it. This phenomenon is a time-tested way of connecting with our past, with one another, and to ideas and concepts around us.
All good stories follow the same general flow, and the same holds true with infographics; except they should do so in a concise, visual way. This will trigger your audience’s innate sense to pay attention and help guide them to end on the note that you’ve designed. And although our ancestors weren’t sharing infographics on the decline of wooly mammoth populations, even they knew that the story of that day’s hunt was the best way to relay this kind of information.
The beauty of a good infographic is that, if done correctly, it can quickly deliver information to your readers in a manner that will stick. It’s psychology! The trick is getting all three components to align.
Pay close attention to the way you represent and showcase your content and data (remember, keep it simple), the visual components that you choose, and make sure to sequentially guide your reader through a beginning, middle, and an end. Do that, and your infographic will pack a serious punch.
Learn more about incorporating infographics into your overall content approach.