Briefing for an infographic
A strong briefing for an infographic ensures that your message is clearly translated into visuals, text, and rhythm. You provide direction regarding goals, target audience, core message, data, style, and formats, allowing the designer to switch gears quickly and preventing you from wasting rounds. Use the approach and checklist below to complete your infographic briefing and make the end result measurably better. Still unsure about the format? Read what an infographic is.
Determine the goal and audience before you brief
Without sharp goals and a clear audience, an infographic remains vague. Start with 1 main goal and 1 to 2 sub-goals. Think concretely: inform, persuade, or activate. Link a KPI to it, such as the number of downloads, clicks to a landing page, or time on page. Next, describe your primary target audience as specifically as possible: job title, prior knowledge, language level, industry, and the questions they have. Also, specify the context in which the infographic is viewed—website, social media, presentation, or print—because the channel determines format, text length, and contrast. Are you considering interactive elements or functionalities? Read more about the possibilities of an interactive infographic. Do you want to know how we work with goals, context, and input? View our workflow.
Determine the appropriate tone (businesslike, enthusiastic, approachable), which terminology you want to use or avoid, and which objections or misconceptions you need to address. Finally, establish the hierarchy: what someone needs to understand in 3 seconds, 10 seconds, and 60 seconds. This layering forces choices regarding headlines, visuals, and microcopy, and prevents everything from appearing equally important.
Checklist for your infographic briefing
- Objective and KPI: 1 main objective, 1-2 sub-objectives, measurable KPI.
- Target audience and context: profile, prior knowledge, channel usage, reading environment.
- Core message: 1 sentence that summarizes the why/how/what.
- Data and sources: datasets, definitions, source citation, validation responsible.
- Storyline/flow: logical structure from introduction to conclusion and CTA.
- Style and brand: colors, logo, typography, icon style, accessibility rules. Unsure about your style choice? View our infographic portfolio.
- CTA and measurement plan: desired action, link/QR, UTM or tracking.
- Formats and distribution: dimensions, resolution, variants per channel.
- Planning, budget, stakeholders: deadlines, feedback rounds, decision-makers.
Make complex information clear, understandable, and convincing
Writing text for an infographic
Write concisely, concretely, and scannably. Use 3 layers: a main title that sells the story, subtitles per block that carry the flow, and microcopy of no more than 8-12 words per element. Avoid jargon unless your target audience expects it. Choose verbs that encourage understanding or action. Let numbers speak with context: absolute values, percentages, and time periods. Write labels that directly explain what someone sees, not what you did. Test out loud: if you cannot pronounce a sentence in one breath, rewrite or cut it. Conclude each block with an implicit or explicit CTA—click-through, further exploration, or contact.
Limit yourself to 1 main objective, define your target audience, and formulate a core message in 1 sentence. Provide validated data with sources, brand and style guide, desired CTA, formats per channel, schedule, budget, and decision-makers.
Tools like Canva, Adobe Express, and Visme offer AI assistants for layout and icons. Handy for sketches and variations, but check brand consistency, sources, and data accuracy. For complex data, custom design remains better.
Choose a clear question, organize data into a storyline, determine hierarchy, design with contrast and whitespace, write sparingly, and test with real users. Provide variants per channel and measure the CTA results.
The principles from our animation briefing work 1-to-1 for infographics: clear goals, a sharp target audience, a rock-solid core, and a measurable CTA. Looking for more inspiration? Read how to brief an animation agency.
Finished with your briefing and want to take immediate action? Start by having an infographic made.
The principles from our animation briefing work 1-to-1 for infographics: clear goals, a sharp target audience, a rock-solid core, and a measurable CTA. Looking for more inspiration? Read how to brief an animation agency.
Finished with your briefing and want to take immediate action? Start by having an infographic made.
Ready to take your A to AA?
Whether it concerns an ambition, product, process, technology, or idea: we make visible what makes it special and translate it into imagery that is clear, convincing, and impossible to ignore.