Insight

I N F O G R A P H I C S — V I S U A L R E P R E S E N TAT I O N S of data—have been around since the caveman days, but they have become exceedingly popular in the last few years, and for good reason. These visual tools provide a way to present often complex ideas or information in a clear, concise, engaging manner, equipping readers with newfound knowledge that requires little more than a glance to obtain. It is a format that resonates well in the technology age, a time when the attention span of adults averages an estimated 8.25 seconds. CONTENT MATCHMAKING "It's all about pairing the right content with the right format for the intended audience," says Eric Jackson, creative director at True North Custom. "For example, an infographic geared to cancer patients about self-care after cancer may not provide enough room to discuss all the points that need to be covered—it is a topic that requires more space and detail. On the other hand, an infographic about healthy eating could include enough details to make it impactful as well as relevant to a large number of people." If an infographic is not the right vehicle for some messages, that's OK, Jackson notes. It is more important to choose infographic topics wisely and with your audience and ultimate goal in mind. COLLABORATIVE CREATIONS When it comes to creating an infographic, there are no instruction manuals or guidelines—instead there's a creative team that needs to work together to make an informative, eye-catching, relevant graphic. "The more collaborative the process, the better the results" Jackson says. "You need a strong writer who has conducted research and can identify the topic's highlights to team up with an innovative designer and flesh out concepts that fit the objective. Then the writer can distill the most interesting or important points into copy, and the designer can pair those points with hard-working graphics to create engaging content that consumers will want to read." Learn about content types and strategies at info.truenorthcustom.com/ healthcare-insight-fall-2016. AS CONSUMERS INCREASINGLY TAKE ON THE ROLE OF SELF-ADVOCATES SEEKING HEALTH AND WELLNESS FACTS, CONTENT CREATORS CONTINUE TO EMBRACE EASY-TO-READ INFOGRAPHICS TO DISTRIBUTE DATA . By Brittain Whiteside-Galloway Eric Jackson Creative Director T R U E N O R T H C U S T O M . C O M Infographics Are: ∂ Static ∂ Compatible with print or digital formats ∂ Simple or complex in message but limited by space ∂ Not reliant on connectivity or extremely focused attention span to convey the message Animated Webgraphics Are: ∂ Dynamic ∂ Compatible with digital formats but not print ∂ More complex in message and may include additional layers of content accessible through interactivity and/or motion ∂ Reliant on connectivity and, in some instances, a higher level of engagement from the reader to convey all the information InfoGraphics Animated Webgraphics TRUENORTHCUSTOM.COM INSIGHT V12N3 11 best practices in CREATIVE TEAMWORK

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