November 2, 2013

Considering Another Infographic Creation Tool

In mid-September I used Infogr.am to create an infographic. The process was interesting and relatively easy. While creating that infographic I learned more than how to use Infogr.am. I also learned a bit about what makes a good infographic. Or, actually, what doesn't. The quantity of data that I began to use was too much... and then what I condensed it to was too little. Consequently, the first graphic in the infographic I created is boring. Ugh! That was my fault, not Infogr.am's.

This time I decided to use Piktochart to make my infographic. I created an account. Their website includes instructions, videos, and even samples of very well done visualizations of data to inspire you! It's not difficult to work through the process of creating the infographic. You can take a tour of the product features, see a very condensed history of infographics (cave drawings to infographics), and read some case studies and testimonials.

The pricing options range from "forever free" to monthly or annual plans plus options for education, charity, and customized infographics. They provide social media contacts for communication with them in addition to an old-fashioned phone number. (If I seem excited about that, it's because I recently searched a vendor's website--several times--trying to find some way to communicate with the company.) Many examples of their themes and a user showcase are available so you can see a variety of infographics created with Piktochart.
Creation Toolbar

Piktochart provides resources that include tutorials, an e-book, and videos about infographics. The support section has an extensive FAQ list, a ticket system for support requests, and a forum. I found it easy to create an infographic on Piktochart due to all the tutorial help they provide and the intuitive user interface.
 
You can share the finished product on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Google+. You can also view it on the web. You can copy the embed code or a link. I used the embed code to place my infographic on this blog. It is also possible to save the infographic as a graphic.

So, how might you use an infographic that you created to help your students understand a concept? And what infographics might they create to present their knowledge on topics? 

CREDITS

Infographic created with Piktochart by Jo Schiffbauer

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