2 Creative Process
Table 1 shows the elements of infographic creation.10-14 Learners creating infographics for projects might need to complete some of those phases but not all. For example, they might stop after the design phase but describe external review, dissemination and evaluation in their project reports. Learners without the resources to engage audience informants could comment on that issue in their reports. Providers planning public release will want to consider all phases.
Table 1. Infographic creation.
| Identify the topic | What is the problem you are trying to address with an infographic? |
|---|---|
| Understand the audience | Health care provider group, patients, family members, administrators, policy analysts, general public or others? Young, old or elderly? Mix of cultures or certain sub-groups? Specific accessibility requirements? |
| Assemble development team | Identify who will participate in development of the infographic. If resources permit, engage early participation by members of the intended audience. |
| Do needs analysis | Identify what the audience wants, needs and should know. Clarify the purpose of the infographic. |
| Find existing tools | Find out what tools already exist. Identify opportunities for improvement over existing tools. |
| Identify content, assess the evidence | Gather evidence using literature searches, expert opinion and team consensus. Assess the evidence. Think about the story the infographic will tell the audience. |
| Choose format and plan distribution | Decide on the format, for example paper handout or electronic file. Consider accessibility. Plan how the infographic will be distributed, stored and revised. |
| Design phase | Design and test prototypes: see Chapter 2. |
| External review | Consider external review of the infographic for content and accessibility by experts and intended audience prior to finalizing the design and distributing the infographic. |
| Distribution | Distribute the infographic. |
| Evaluation | Assess the effectiveness of the infographic. |
| Revision | Revise and re-issue new versions as required. |
1- Identify the Topic
The first step is to identify the topic. For learners, it might be a subject they have an interest in or want to learn more about. Other learners and practitioners pick topics based on an identified need in a particular audience. Infographics typically address only 1 to 3 main points, so highly nuanced, complex topics might not be suitable.10 In those cases, infographics can be used to attract audiences to more detailed information sources. To refine the topic, write drafts of the topic statement while considering desired outcomes (objectives).
2- Understand the Audience
The topic step goes hand-in-hand with identifying and understanding the target audience. For the general population, consider differences in age, ethnicity, gender, culture, education level, societal roles and accessibility requirements.15-18 Consider engaging members of the inten