Infographics are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to disperse information. It turns out people love learning when it’s visually entertaining, and that’s exactly how these simple designs work. Whether using Venn diagrams, a flow chart or comic-book style layout, infographics quickly get their messages across using easily digested graphics and some smart wording. Though infographics are usually intended to firstly be academic or informational, they often utilize humor to relay the contents. And as most web designers, developers and graphic designers know there’s a lot about their jobs that beg for levity. Here are 10 of the best design examples that should leave you with the chuckles.
The Love/Hate Relationship With the Internet
There are few experiences as frustrating as having the Internet go down or move slowly. This fun infographic by GlitchAgency humorously covers the aggravation of the sometimes-fickle nature of the “series of tubes†with a few stick figures and a frying pan.
A Day in the Life
A designer’s daily routine can seem dull, despite being a creative pursuit. The demands of the clients are often either wildly surreal or boring run-of-the-mill requests. This striking infographic by We Are Amerikan Made details exactly why making a living in the creative fields isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.
Social Media Commentary
Social media is an essential tool for marketing, whether it’s a personal blog or a company brand. Twitter has its share of lovers and detractors, but the users are easy to break down into humorous categories, as shown in this Twitter profile users infographic by NGOnews.
Having it All
Nearly every creative type will recognize this infographic’s wise words: Most clients demand the world on a budget, but real designers know you can’t have absolutely everything you want without paying some price, as illustrated in this Venn diagram by Colin Harman.
Free Work
Some argue doing some work for free ensures greater visibility while others feel free work takes advantage of designers. If you’re ever uncertain about whether you should complete a project gratis, here’s a handy flow chart by Jessica Hische that expresses exactly when it’s ok (like when your mother asks).
The Importance of Typeface
Not all infographics are quick reads, and this flow chart by Julian Hansen is incredibly complex, covering dozens of fonts for various uses. If you have a serious passion for type and a light sense of humor, this comprehensive breakdown is just your style. Watch out for the Comic Sans box.
Understanding Pagerank
SEO isn’t as simple or straightforward as some could wish, but this infographic on understanding backlinks and pageranks can certainly help make anyone more Internet savvy. ZippyCart made a handy chart that explains the process using high school popularity as a metaphor. Consider this a trigger warning for outcasts.
An Infographic on Infographics
With these charts becoming so popular, and ubiquitous, it was only a matter of time until they got meta. This amusing infographic about infographics by Phil Gyford cheekily mocks the typical unoriginal style of many examples that are just jumping on the bandwagon without contributing to the medium.
Procrastination as Art
Nearly everyone deals with the productivity zapping powers of procrastination, especially with the whole of the entertaining Internet at one’s fingers. For another comprehensive infographic of how to best kill time, check out this chart by the Marketo Blog.
Sans Versus Serif
Another typeface chart, this one by UrbanFonts, which pits Sans font against Serif to explain their individual strengths and weaknesses in a battle for the crown of best typeface. Who wins? You’ll have to follow through to the end.
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Though some companies like to toss out infographics about information that could just as easily be explained in a paragraph, some designers know how to create charts that are informative, fun and enlightening. These are a few examples to get your ideas flowing. If you want to try your hand at an infographic of your own, check out these helpful graphics to get started.
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I'm a recent graduate of the University of San Francisco with a degree in Biology and a passion for the creative arts. I love building websites, trying new things, and I have a passion for social media.
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