Public Health Infographic Design for the public – the evidence base
Abstract In order to make effective infographics, one needs to understand the science behind public health infographic design. This presentation introduces guidelines for public health infographic design based on gathered academic evidence of effectiveness as well as information design principles. We tackle the topic from a variety of angles exploring issues of attention, comprehension, recall and behavioral change and focuses on infographics designed for a lay audience. Despite the exhaustive research conducted on say, graph comprehension, there remains a gap in how we account for the effectiveness of public health infographic design more broadly. The presentation also covers a brief examination of ‘hidden' historical precedents for the design of engaging health infographics, beyond the oft-cited visual work of John Snow or Florence Nightingale. We argue that notions of data spectacle and the need to grab attention remain vital today. The presentation concludes by reflecting on the future of infographics for displaying public health data, particularly with reference to the use of COVID-19 graphics in 2020/21.
