Let me start by saying, I really love infographics. If done well, I think they are a great tool for displaying information in an interesting, quick and visually appealing way. I use infographics in my stories whenever possible.
Anyway, I chose one of my favorite simple infographics for this post, the “most mentioned NFL players” from 2012. Though this graphic is not new or flashy, I’ve always felt that it gets the job done and I really appreciate the creativity.
To me, this graphic satisfies all of Tufte’s tenants and the basic principles of design. It shows contrast in a very blatant and easily understandable manner, and does not contain any jargon. There is also a helpful explanation for the criteria used to determine the “most mentioned players,” so the information seems verifiable and not arbitrary. Additionally, the use of simple bar graphs adds a great deal to this graphic without overwhelming a reader. The audience could spend 10 minutes looking through each bit of information in this graphic, or take one look at it and have the gist – Tim Tebow was the most popular. To me, that is a huge factor in making a successful infographic.