Infographics are defined as graphical visual designs which are used to convey information or data in a quicker and more efficient way to people than would happen if they tried to sift through the datasets themselves. It is usually, when done well, visually informative in that the visuals themselves should tell the story of the data with only a minimum of it having to be explained through text.
The major benefits of infographics is that they are a visual medium, this is hugely important as it has been found repeatedly that people both understand and retain information better when it is presented in visual form. In some figures up to 80%. (Mc Canless, 2010)
It has also been found that people usually read information online by skimming the text rather than reading in detail meaning infographics which allow users to skim through information are both more appealing and more likely to get people to read them. (Smiciklas, 2012)
All of this means they can be a great alternative to posters or papers when they are used well.
They can also be used for academic conferences you may attend in the future.
References:
Smicklas, M. ( 2012). The Power of Infographics: Using Pictures to Communicate and Connect with Your Audiences. Indiana: Que
David Mc Candless (2010). The beauty of data visualization. (Video online) Available from: https://www.ted.com/talks/david_mccandless_the_beauty_of_data_visualization#t-4385. Accessed(23 January 2020)
This will lay out the recommended size and shape for infographics.
There is no standard size for infographics. It depends on what it’s for. Your teachers should tell you what length they would want for the infographic, the same with academic posters, the conference organizers should say what they want. If they do not the most general option is that it should be 600 pixels wide and not too long. It shouldn't be going over 8000 pixels in length as you will start losing readers.
Again font and color are dependent on what it’s about, but generally it is recommended that for font use some of the main types such as Serif, Times New Roman etc. that can be easily read regardless. Do not go for stylish fonts over the most used fonts as not all your audience is going to be able to read it. For further help- please go to here.
As for color, it depends, but usually a good idea is to resort to using only three primary colours in different combinations. The video below explains in more detail about this.
