On the first workshop we had to do a design sheet with 20 interesting things that we found while researching our topic, mine was 'How to chop an onion'. Than we had to do a timeline concerning our education. Finally we did an info-graphic design sheet by trying to arrange 5 things out of 20 in some logical order. I did mine by arranging the most effective ways to chop an onion without crying that I knew that work. After all that we were placed in groups - 'cooking'. We had all these different topics and find it quite hard to choose one. We narrowed it down to 2: 'How to chop an onion' and 'How to prepare a meal without wasting time and money'.
After this workshop I decided to dig in and analyse what IS info-graphics.
Information graphics or infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge. These graphics present complex information quickly and clearly, such as in signs, maps, journalism, technical writing, and education. With an information graphic, computer scientists, mathematicians, and statisticians develop and communicate concepts using a single symbol to process information.
Reference: wikipedia
I also took a book from the library 'Visual aid 2. You can never know enough stuff.' Black dog publishing - london. I found it quite helpful. I understood that info-graphics is not all about numbers and facts (though it is pretty much that) but it's more about organising the information and making it easy to read and understand to others.
I also came across this interesting info-graphics example in wikipedia:
Also in 1972 the Pioneer Plaque was launched into space with the Pioneer 10 probe. Inscribed into the plaque was an information graphic intended as a kind of interstellar message in a bottle, designed by Carl Sagan and Frank Drake. The message is unique in that it is intended to be understood by extraterrestrial beings who would share no common language with humans. It depicts a picture of a man and a woman standing in front of a simplified silhouette of the probe in order to give a sense of scale. It also contains a map locating the sun relative to a number of pulsars, and a simplified depiction of the solar system, with the probe's path from earth into outer space shown with an arrow.
I also read a review of 'Information is Beautiful' and there was an interesting thought about info graphics:
I expect that any book of info-graphics, no matter how well researched and designed, could be accused of over-simplifying complex issues which often require detailed and patient reading as well as a nuanced interpretation rather than a brief, facile and aesthetically pleasing glance. But one does not thumb through a book of info-graphics looking for comprehensive essays on complex issues. The power and usefulness of the info-graphic is its ability to present information in a dramatic and effective way.
I think there are three possible responses a reader can have to any info-graphic. Sometimes the information is already known and accepted in advance as being true by the reader and merely bolsters pre-existing beliefs or opinions, as will be the case with most Guardian readers and the climate change info-graphics. Sometimes the information in a diagram is unknown to the reader and, depending on the simplicity or complexity of the subject, the info-graphic can either form a new belief instantly or inspire one to research the topic further before doing so. For example, after finding the info-graphic on Amazonian deforestation I went on-line to see if it were true and, sadly, based on what I could find, it seems to be true and so I have formed a new opinion on this subject. Thirdly, an info-graphic may contradict a pre-existing belief. When this happens one can either deny the information altogether, dispute the reliability of the data or its interpretation or research the topic further and then, based on what one finds, either confirm or disconfirm one's prior beliefs.
Link to the full review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/185696869
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