Using infographics to explain complex concepts Automatic translate

Infographics are a visual method of presenting information that combines data, text, and graphic elements into a cohesive composition. The human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text, making visual formats particularly effective for conveying complex ideas. People remember 80% of what they see compared to 20% of what they read, which explains the growing popularity of infographics in education, science, medicine, and business.

Historical Roots of Data Visualization

The practice of visually presenting information has ancient roots. William Playfair, a Scottish engineer and political economist, laid the foundation for modern statistical graphics in 1786 with the publication of The Commercial and Political Atlas. This work contained 43 time graphs and one bar chart — a format apparently first introduced in this work. Playfair argued that charts convey information better than data tables, and his time graphs are still considered models of clarity. In 1801, he published the first pie charts, used to show part-to-whole relationships.

Another iconic example of early data visualization was Charles-Joseph Minard’s 1869 map of Napoleon’s troop advance through the Russian Empire. This work, which Edward Tufte hailed as "masterpiece" in his book "The Visual Display of Quantitative Information," demonstrates the ability to combine multiple dimensions of data — casualties, location, temperature, geography, and historical context — in a single chart. Minard used line width to represent troop numbers, color to indicate direction of movement (brown for advance, black for retreat), and added a temperature scale at the bottom of the map.

Florence Nightingale also contributed to the development of data visualization with her Coxcomb Chart, which is one of the oldest examples of using graphs to present statistical information.

Cognitive and psychological foundations

Dual coding theory

The effectiveness of infographics is explained by Allan Paivio’s dual-coding theory, which posits that information is processed by two independent cognitive systems: verbal and visual. When information is presented simultaneously in both verbal and visual formats, it is more likely to be understood and remembered. The visual format of infographics engages both cognitive channels, creating stronger connections in long-term memory.

Research has shown that infographics improve students’ cognitive modeling in both verbal and visual aspects. Experts rated static infographics as "excellent" and animated ones as "very good," with both formats demonstrating a significant difference between students’ pre- and post-test scores in scientific knowledge.

Cognitive load theory

John Sweller’s cognitive load theory complements our understanding of infographics’ effectiveness. Human working memory has a limited capacity, easily overloaded when processing complex or dense information. Infographics reduce this load in three ways: by organizing information visually in an intuitive way, breaking it down into manageable chunks, and directing viewers’ attention to key insights. This not only reduces cognitive load but also improves learning efficiency and retention.

Principles of Gestalt Psychology

Gestalt psychology provides a theoretical basis for organizing the visual elements of infographics. This school of thought posits that the brain works holistically, grouping similar elements, recognizing patterns, and simplifying complex images when perceiving objects.

Six core principles of Gestalt perception apply to infographic design:

• Similarity - elements that are similar in shape, color, or size are perceived as related groups
• Proximity - Objects that are close to each other are naturally grouped together by the brain
• Continuation - elements located on a line or curve are perceived as more connected
• Closure - the brain perceives incomplete forms as complete, filling in the gaps
• Figure and ground - the ability to distinguish between an object and its background
• Symmetry and order (the principle of pregnancy) - people perceive and interpret ambiguous or complex images in the simplest possible form

The principle of pregnancy is particularly important: we prefer simple, clear, and orderly things because they instinctively feel safer, require less processing, and contain fewer surprises.

Types of infographics and areas of application

Classification by structure

Infographics are divided into several types depending on the purpose and structure of information presentation:

• Timeline infographics are ideal for showing historical development, sequencing events, planning events, or demonstrating chronological order. They can be organized along a vertical or horizontal axis.
• Statistical infographics are the visualization of data through graphs, charts, and numerical representations to identify patterns and trends.
• Information infographics are presentations of conceptual information, usually divided into sections with numbers or headings.
• Geographic infographics are visualizations of location-based data, such as regional trends, demographics, or markets.
• Comparison infographics - compare options, features, advantages and disadvantages
• Process infographics (flowcharts) - displaying a sequence of steps, workflows or procedures
• Hierarchical infographics are visualizations of relationships and connections between concepts through Venn diagrams or mind maps.

Line charts are effective for showing changing trends, maps show differences in data by location, and scatter plots reveal complex relationships between two variables simultaneously.

Medical education

Infographics have found widespread use in medical education due to their ability to simplify complex concepts and improve information retention. A 2025 study assessed the impact of infographics on the academic performance of medical students in a musculoskeletal pathology course. The results showed that infographics effectively improved academic performance, although the impact varied by gender.

The use of infographics in medical education includes:

• Simplifying complex concepts and making medical information more accessible
• Creating lecture summaries, manuals, protocols, and decision trees
• Illustration of disease symptoms, processes, mechanisms or treatment methods
• Visual guides for students during clinical rounds to reduce stress and improve real-time decision making
• Preparing for exams through the creation of concept maps and reference guides
• Support for teaching in classical lectures, flipped classrooms, and just-in-time learning
• Facilitating student collaboration and peer learning

A study of educational infographics on sun protection showed a significant improvement in patients’ understanding of the proper use of sunscreen and their ability to interpret labels. In a study on concussion knowledge, participants reported that the infographics satisfied their knowledge needs (91%) and provided them with new information (87%), with 55% intending to use the infographics to educate others.

Science communication and education

Infographics serve as a cognitive tool for facilitating multi-representational learning in the context of scientific literacy. A study using a design experiment in which middle school students created authentic scientific news reports based on infographics demonstrated how infographics can serve as process-oriented cognitive tools for learning and teaching.

Instead of reading a long paragraph explaining the steps of a scientific experiment, students can look at a flowchart, visually demonstrating each step. Statistical research, difficult to understand at the paragraph level, is easily explained and visualized through pie charts and bar graphs, making patterns visible.

Business communication

Infographics are transforming business communications, turning complex data into engaging, memorable visuals. Posts featuring infographics on platforms demonstrate higher click-through rates and shares compared to text-only content. Increased engagement can translate into greater brand awareness and customer engagement.

Using infographics in your content strategy results in higher click-through rates, more social shares, increased time on page, lower bounce rates, and better backlink potential.

Design principles and visual hierarchy

Basics of Visual Hierarchy

Visual hierarchy ensures a clear and organized presentation of information. Information should be considered at three levels depending on its importance to the central message — more than three levels can confuse the message. Font, position, and scale are used to emphasize these levels.

The three levels have different roles:

• Level 1: Headlines - Attract Attention
• Level 2: Subheadings – Create Interest
• Level 3: Body Text - Conveys the Message

Key components of visual hierarchy include headings and subheadings to direct the viewer, contrast to attract attention using different colors, sizes, and shapes, alignment for a consistent professional look, white space to avoid clutter and highlight key information, and consistency to maintain consistency in fonts, colors, and icons.

Implementation techniques

The use of color plays a key role: bright colors highlight important information, while muted tones are used for less critical details. Typography with varying font sizes and styles differentiates levels of information. Icons and images break up the text and maintain visual consistency.

Color and contrast increase readability by 40%, proper use of white space improves comprehension by 20%, and larger elements attract 67% more attention. A designer has 8 seconds to capture attention, so these principles are critical for transforming complex data into clear, compelling stories that viewers can grasp at a glance.

Edward Tufte’s Principles

Edward Tufte, a renowned statistician and data visualization theorist, formulated the fundamental principles of graphical excellence. Graphic excellence is a well-designed presentation of interesting data, a matter of content, statistics, and design. It consists of conveying complex ideas with clarity, precision, and effectiveness.

Tufte insists that graphic excellence conveys the greatest number of ideas to the viewer in the shortest time, with the least amount of ink in the smallest space. Graphic excellence is almost always multidimensional and requires a truthful representation of data.

Five guiding principles for creating charts:

• Show data first
• Maximize your data-to-ink ratio
• Remove non-data ink
• Remove excess ink data
• Review and edit

Tufte also defined "data density" as the number of entries in a data matrix divided by the area of the graph. This metric helps assess how effectively space is used to convey information.

Neurobiological aspects of perception

Eye movement studies

An experimental study using eye tracking demonstrated the role of infographics in directing viewer attention during television news broadcasts. Pupil dilation measurements demonstrated that when used in an over-the-shoulder format, the visual presentation of numerical data elicits an orienting response and directs viewer attention to that portion of the screen.

The study also found that bar graphs were more successful in capturing viewers’ attention than simple tabular presentations of information. The presence of infographics and people’s quantitative abilities positively predicted information retention.

Portable eye-tracking devices show promise for detecting cognitive impairment in neurological conditions. Eye-tracking technology is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool for assessing oculomotor function and cognitive processes in various neurological conditions. Their portability facilitates widespread clinical use, making cognitive assessments more accessible and effective for early diagnosis and monitoring disease progression.

Emotional Impact and Storytelling

Numbers alone can’t persuade — data visualization storytelling becomes effective when context and emotion are added. Comparisons with past performance, industry benchmarks, or future forecasts add depth to visualizations. Visuals should be structured within a narrative arc: begin with the problem, present evidence through data, and conclude with a solution or recommended action.

This combination of context and emotional appeal transforms a static report into a meaningful story. Data visualization storytelling is more than just creating attractive charts; it’s a combination of purpose, clarity, and narrative to ensure meaningful data communication.

Interactive infographics and animations

Benefits of interactivity

Interactive content has a higher conversion rate than static content. Viewers have already spent time interacting with the content and navigating the interactive infographic. By taking a visual journey, people are educated rather than sold.

Relevant and relevant information also supports the validity of the product by solving their problem, which hopefully will translate into a future sale. High-quality interactive infographics are more likely to be shared and linked to other pages on similar topics, improving search engine rankings and expanding reach to target audiences with similar characteristics.

The greatest strength of interactive infographics is that images and interactive elements enhance message retention. Participation, rather than passive viewing, leads to better retention. When a healthcare professional faces a challenge and you’ve provided solutions in an interactive infographic, your message can be recalled and motivated to take action.

Animated visualizations

Animated charts offer a variety of ways to take data to the next level. Whether it’s moving axes, time-based sliders, or racing charts, incorporating motion into data stories can help convey ideas in ways that static charts can’t.

Animating visualizations helps combat information overload. By breaking up the data story, the designer gives the reader enough time to process what they’re seeing. Furthermore, providing more context makes the point clear and memorable.

Animation allows you to transform complex visualizations into easily digestible content by breaking information down into manageable chunks and providing additional context for clarity of message.

Infographic creation tools

The modern market offers a wide range of tools for creating infographics, from easy-to-use platforms to professional solutions.

Visme stands out with its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, AI designer, advanced data visualization tools, built-in analytics, and export to multiple formats (PNG, JPG, PDF, HTML5, SCORM, and xAPI). The platform supports real-time collaboration with a workflow feature.

Piktochart offers an AI-powered infographic generator, diagrams, collaboration features, and a branding kit. The platform has a simple and intuitive interface, though it offers a limited number of templates compared to competitors.

Canva is known for its design versatility and intuitive interface. The platform offers a vast library of templates and allows users to upload images from their devices or choose from millions of stock images and design elements.

DocHipo offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor with free and premium templates for every industry. Infogram specializes in templates for various needs, including data visualization. Venngage focuses on data-driven visualizations and flowcharts.

The choice of tool depends on specific needs: ease of use, data visualization capabilities, collaboration features, export options, and budget.

Accessibility of infographics

Principles of accessible design

Creating accessible infographics requires attention to several key aspects. Adequate color contrast is critical — text and graphics must stand out clearly while meeting accessibility standards. Color contrast checking tools help ensure that the design meets requirements.

Keyboard navigation should be provided for all interactive elements, such as buttons and links, with clear focus indicators. Some users rely on this method due to limitations, so it’s critical to ensure all elements are accessible using the Tab key.

Technical solutions

Building infographics using HTML and CSS instead of static images creates inherently more accessible content. This approach allows assistive technologies to correctly interpret the information and gives users more control over how the content is displayed.

Using semantic HTML elements such as headings, lists, and tables structures content logically, providing clear navigation paths for screen reader users. Implementing CSS for layout and styling is preferable to using infographics as images only, which cannot be interpreted by assistive technologies.

Infographics can make information more accessible to students with different learning needs, including those with reading difficulties or language barriers.

Measuring performance

Assessing the impact of infographics requires monitoring several metrics. Engagement metrics include time on page, bounce rates, click-through rates, and social media interactions. Retention metrics measure how well the audience retains information after viewing the infographic.

Distribution metrics track which content is shared most often, indicating its resonance with the audience. Lead generation and conversion metrics assess how infographics contribute to business goals.

Research shows that infographics are one of the most shared types of content on social media. Posts featuring infographics experience higher click-through rates, more social shares, increased time on page, lower bounce rates, and greater backlink potential.

Academic research demonstrates measurable improvements in learning outcomes. A longitudinal analysis over three academic years showed that using infographics as an educational tool improved medical students’ performance on multiple-choice exams. The results demonstrated a significant difference between pre- and post-test scores in terms of scientific knowledge.

Limitations and Challenges

Despite their many advantages, infographics have certain limitations. Oversimplifying complex data can distort or lose nuance. Infographics created without careful attention to design principles can confuse rather than clarify information.

Creating effective infographics requires time, design skills, and an understanding of both the content and the audience. A poorly designed infographic with overloaded visuals, inappropriate use of color, or a confusing structure can hinder comprehension rather than enhance it.

Accessibility remains a challenge for many infographics, especially when they are created as static images without alternative text or structured data for screen readers. This limits their usefulness for people with visual impairments.

Cultural differences in the perception of color, symbols, and visual metaphors can influence how infographics are interpreted by different audiences. Designers should consider the cultural context of the target audience when creating visual content.

Infographics in an educational context require careful integration into the curriculum. Simply adding infographics without appropriate pedagogical support may not lead to the desired learning outcomes.

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Infographics have transformed the way complex information is communicated, drawing on a deep understanding of cognitive processes and the principles of visual perception. From the early work of Playfair and Minard to today’s interactive and animated formats, data visualization continues to evolve, providing powerful tools for education, science, business, and healthcare. Effective infographics combine scientific principles of cognitive psychology, thoughtful design, and a clear communication strategy to create visual narratives that not only inform but also deeply engage audiences.