How can you create a technical infographic that is easy to understand?

1 Know your audience

Before you start designing your infographic, you need to define your audience and their needs, expectations, and preferences. Who are you trying to inform, persuade, or educate? What is their level of familiarity with the topic and the terminology? How will they access and use your infographic? These questions will help you tailor your content, tone, and style to your audience and avoid confusion or misinterpretation.

2 Choose your format

Depending on your purpose, message, and data, you can choose from different formats of technical infographics, such as timelines, flowcharts, diagrams, maps, or charts. Each format has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you need to select the one that best suits your goals and data. For example, if you want to show a sequence of events or steps, a timeline or a flowchart might be a good option. If you want to illustrate a concept or a structure, a diagram or a map might work better. If you want to compare or contrast data, a chart or a table might be more effective.

3 Simplify your content

One of the main challenges of creating a technical infographic is to simplify your content without losing accuracy or clarity. You need to distill your information into key points, facts, or figures that are relevant and meaningful to your audience. You also need to use clear and concise language that avoids jargon, acronyms, or technical terms that your audience might not understand. If you need to use any of these, make sure to provide definitions or explanations in a footnote or a legend. Additionally, you need to use consistent and appropriate units, labels, and symbols throughout your infographic.

4 Design your layout

The layout of your infographic is the visual arrangement of your content, elements, and graphics. It should be easy to follow, attractive, and consistent. You need to use a logical and hierarchical order that guides your audience through your infographic and highlights the most important or interesting information. You also need to use white space, colors, fonts, and shapes that enhance your readability, aesthetics, and credibility. Moreover, you need to use graphics that are relevant, accurate, and proportional to your data and message. Avoid using too many or too complex graphics that might distract or confuse your audience.