Google has the answer, as always! This time it’s its Trend feature. It tells us how, measured by the number of search terms used, interest in data visualisation has grown in the UK only relatively recently:

• Worldwide

• Just the UK

Wikipedian in Residence Infographic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Google also tells us how interest in infographics is much more recent.

Infographics does for statistical data what PowerPoint does for words: creating

• visual statements in ‘bullet language’
• a visually intriguing presentation
• a presentation of information that is more ‘interesting’ than words and tables – not just by using colour and font, but also charts as graphics.

Comparing numbers is possibly the most frequent application. Comparing geographies is the next most intriguing visual that people enjoy. Here’s the interest in infographics a la Google:

• Worldwide

• Just the UK

But the real ‘charm’ about infographics is their visual impact that depends on style, format, graphics, fonts and many other subtle contributors.

What’s the significance between the steady interest in data visualisation and the rising interest in infographics? In my humble opinion:

1. the need to ‘make points’ with infographics is more ‘popular’ and ‘important’ than to have significant insights from data;
2. commerce drives the world more than science, especially on the web;
3. making impact with infographics is like shouting in headlines;
4. telling stories about insights from data visualisation is maybe more demanding?
5. enjoying insights from data visualisation is maybe too scientific and thus rarer?

GLAM-Wiki Infographic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Time will tell. Here are some great samples of infographics:

• Information is Beautiful
• cool infographics
• cool infographics’ gallery on Pinterest
• Flowing Data.

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