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Data visualization combines principles from psychology, usability, graphic design, and statistics to highlight important data in accessible and appealing formats. Doing so helps bridge knowledge producers with knowledge users, who are often inundated with information and increasingly pressed for time.
In this issue of thejournal,HealthAffairs is launching its "DataGraphic" feature- an information graphic (infographic) summarizing key insights from one or several of the articles presented in the issue.1 Infographics are an effective way to present complex data in a visual format that is compelling, provides rapidly available information, and is directly useful for decision-making purposes (Exhibit 1). Effective infographics are based on principles from the fields of psychology, usability, graphic design, and statistics with the aim of reducing barriers (limited time, information overload) to understanding important information. They therefore serve an important role in bridging the gap between producers and consumers of information.
Infographics can take various shapes and forms but may be grouped into three main types: data graphics, maps, and diagrams. They also can be static (for print or screen use), animated (for screen use), or interactive (for screen use). Multiple data visualizations, maps, or diagrams can be combined into an overall visual compositionwith illustrationsandselected text to convey a larger story or narrative. Such large posters, panels, or scrolling images are commonly considered to be infographics, although they might also be called "storygraphics" because they impose a narrative flow on the data. These narratives can be explanatory (seeking to objectively educate or inform), editorial (suggesting value judgments), persuasive (seeking to influence or sway), or exploratory (testing multiple alternative hypotheses). Online Appendix Exhibit A1 provides more details on types of infographics.2
Infographics are not a new concept. Their history can be traced back to William Playfair, an eighteenth-century Scottish engineer and economist who invented the line chart, bar graph, and pie chart.3 Two centuries later, statistician Edward Tufte defined best practices for communicating quantitative and qualitative information in his authoritative books on information design,4-7 drawing examples from a portrayal of Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 18128 to the early interface design for the Apple iPhone.9
Newspapers were among the first media outlets to popularize infographics. USA Today is known for its "Snapshots" feature, which uses simple graphics to depict public opinion on contemporary...
