Creating infographics that stand out and effectively communicate your message requires more than just creative thinking and design expertise. It involves collaboration between content creators (like marketers, writers, or subject matter experts) and designers. While content creators bring valuable insights and data to the table, designers are essential in turning these ideas into visually engaging and easy-to-understand pieces of content.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the process of collaborating with designers for infographic creation. From understanding the designer’s role to refining your feedback, this guide covers everything you need to know to ensure a smooth and successful collaboration.
1. Establish Clear Goals for the Infographic
The first step in any successful collaboration is establishing clear goals. Before bringing a designer into the project, you need to have a well-defined purpose for the infographic. This will help both you and the designer understand the objectives and ensure the final product aligns with your vision.
Define the Objective
What do you want the infographic to achieve? Some common objectives might include:
- Educational Purpose: To explain a complex concept or process in a simple, visual way.
- Brand Awareness: To introduce your brand or a new product in a creative and memorable format.
- Lead Generation: To create an infographic that encourages readers to take action, such as subscribing to a newsletter or making a purchase.
- Entertainment: To engage your audience with fun, visually stimulating content that drives social shares.
Target Audience
Understanding your target audience is essential in both content creation and design. When briefing your designer, share key details about your audience’s demographics, interests, and behaviors. This allows the designer to tailor the infographic’s style, tone, and layout to resonate with the target audience. Consider whether your audience prefers simple, minimalist designs or if they are more drawn to vibrant and complex visuals.
Key Message or Data
Have a clear understanding of the message or data you want to communicate. This could be a collection of statistics, research findings, or an explanation of a process. This will serve as the foundation for your infographic’s content, and the designer needs to know what information is critical to include.
By establishing these goals early, you can set expectations, keep everyone on the same page, and ensure that the collaboration stays on track.
2. Select the Right Designer
Not all designers are created equal, and choosing the right designer for your infographic project is crucial. Designers specialize in various areas of graphic design, so it’s essential to find one who is experienced in creating infographics specifically.
Look for Relevant Experience
The best designers for infographic creation are those who have demonstrated their ability to turn data or complex information into clear and engaging visuals. Check their portfolio to see if they’ve worked on infographics in the past, and evaluate their style. Some designers specialize in clean, minimalistic infographics, while others may focus on more detailed and colorful designs. Choose one whose portfolio aligns with your vision and needs.
Check for Technical Skills
Infographics are often designed using programs like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or specialized tools like Canva or Piktochart. Make sure your designer is proficient with these tools and can provide the necessary files in the appropriate format (e.g., scalable vector graphics, PDFs, or high-resolution images).
Communication Skills
Effective communication is key to any collaboration. Your designer should be receptive to feedback and able to explain design decisions clearly. Look for someone who listens to your input and translates it into actionable design strategies, while also offering professional suggestions to improve the final product.
Understanding of Data Visualization
Designers who have a background in data visualization will be able to create more effective and accurate infographics. If your infographic is data-heavy (e.g., statistics, graphs, or research findings), ensure your designer has the skills to display these data points in a visually engaging and accurate manner.
3. Develop a Detailed Brief for the Designer
Once you’ve selected your designer, the next step is to create a comprehensive brief. A well-structured brief will provide the designer with everything they need to create an infographic that aligns with your goals.
Provide Context
Start by explaining the context of the project. Why is the infographic being created, and how will it be used? For example, will it be shared on social media, embedded in a blog post, printed for a trade show, or used in an email campaign? Knowing how and where the infographic will be used helps the designer make decisions about dimensions, style, and interactivity.
Share Your Key Message and Data
Clearly outline the core message and any data or content that must be included in the infographic. Be specific about the numbers, facts, or statistics that should be highlighted, and if possible, provide sources or research to back up the data.
If you have a narrative or story to tell through the infographic, outline the flow and structure. Is it a process with steps? A comparison? A breakdown of a concept? The designer will need to understand the structure of the content to build the right flow.
Provide Brand Guidelines
If you’re working within a brand’s established aesthetic, make sure to share brand guidelines with the designer. These guidelines should include:
- Brand colors
- Font styles and sizes
- Logo usage
- Visual tone and imagery preferences
Adhering to brand guidelines helps ensure consistency across your visual content and maintains your brand’s identity.
Discuss the Style and Visuals
While it’s important not to dictate every visual element (since designers are the experts), it’s helpful to provide some direction regarding the overall style. Is there a particular tone you want to convey? Do you want the design to feel professional, playful, minimalist, or bold?
Provide examples of infographics or design styles you like. Platforms like Pinterest, Behance, or Dribbble can be a great source of inspiration. Share a few examples with your designer to guide them in the right direction.
Set a Timeline
Infographic creation can be a time-consuming process, so it’s essential to establish a clear timeline with milestones. Depending on the complexity of the infographic, it may take several days or even weeks to complete. Establish deadlines for key stages, such as the initial concept, design drafts, and the final version.
4. Collaborating During the Design Process
Once the designer has the brief, they will typically begin working on the initial concepts. During this phase, your collaboration will largely revolve around providing feedback and making adjustments to the design.
Provide Constructive Feedback
Feedback is one of the most important aspects of collaboration. It’s important to offer feedback that is constructive, clear, and specific. Instead of saying something like “I don’t like this,” try to explain why you don’t like it and how you think it could be improved. For example:
- “The color scheme feels too dark; can we use more vibrant colors to make it pop?”
- “The font is hard to read in small sizes; could we try a different typeface?”
- “I think this section is too text-heavy—can we break it up with more visuals or icons?”
Be open to the designer’s suggestions. They may offer valuable insights or alternatives that you hadn’t considered.
Stay Involved in the Design Iterations
After receiving the initial draft from the designer, provide your feedback, but also be patient. Good design takes time, and it’s essential to give the designer space to refine their work. Sometimes, the first draft may need a few revisions to get everything just right.
Make sure you communicate any changes in a timely manner, and try not to overload the designer with too many revisions at once. Focus on the most important elements that will improve the final product.
Maintain Open Communication
Throughout the design process, maintaining open lines of communication is crucial. Be readily available for any clarifications the designer may need. Likewise, the designer should check in with you if there are any uncertainties or design choices that could impact the infographic’s overall effectiveness.
If any issues arise, address them quickly to avoid delays. If you need extra time or want to adjust the direction of the project, communicate that early so the designer can adjust their timeline.
5. Finalizing the Infographic
Once the infographic is nearing completion, it’s time to review it thoroughly to ensure it meets your objectives and expectations.
Check for Accuracy
Ensure that all data, facts, and figures are accurate and properly cited. The last thing you want is to release an infographic with incorrect information, as this could damage your credibility.
Evaluate the Design
Review the overall design one last time, considering the visual appeal, readability, and effectiveness. Ensure that the design is engaging and easy to follow. If the infographic includes complex data, check that it has been simplified appropriately without losing accuracy.
Test for Usability
If your infographic is interactive or will be shared online, test it for usability. Check how it appears on different devices and screen sizes to ensure it is responsive and user-friendly.
Finalize File Formats
Ensure that you receive the infographic in the correct file formats for your needs. Common formats include:
- PNG or JPEG: Ideal for sharing on social media or embedding in blog posts.
- SVG or EPS: Perfect for scalable designs (for print materials or resizing without quality loss).
- PDF: For printing or sharing as a downloadable resource.
Ensure that the final files are high-resolution if you plan to use them for printing or other professional purposes.
6. Post-Creation Collaboration
Even after the infographic is completed, your collaboration with the designer doesn’t have to end. Depending on the performance of the infographic, you may need to make updates or adjustments.
Monitor Performance
After the infographic has been published, analyze its performance (e.g., social shares, engagement, website traffic). If any issues arise, such as low engagement or negative feedback, discuss the possibility of revising or updating the design with the designer.
Collaborate on Future Updates
Infographics often need updates, especially if they involve time-sensitive information or data. Keep the designer in the loop for any future changes or iterations of the infographic.
Conclusion
Collaborating with designers for infographic creation is a dynamic and essential process that requires clear communication, mutual respect, and a shared vision for the project. A successful partnership hinges on laying the right groundwork from the outset by defining goals, choosing the right designer, and creating a detailed brief. Throughout the design process, maintaining open lines of communication, providing constructive feedback, and staying involved in iterations will ensure that the final product aligns with your vision and effectively conveys your message to the intended audience.