An Infographic Can Change the Conversation

Washington is full of information. Policy papers, reports, testimony, talking points and data compete every day for the attention of policymakers, congressional staff, and the media. But having the right information isn't enough. People have to understand it and understand it quickly.

That's where design can change the conversation. Consider a complicated policy issue supported by dozens of statistics. Put those numbers in a spreadsheet or bury them in a 30-page report, and the audience has to work to find the story. Turn those same numbers into a clear, compelling infographic and the story can become immediately apparent. The facts haven't changed. But the way people understand the facts has.

The Capitol Hill Test

For public affairs, I think about design through a simple question: Could someone understand the point while walking between meetings on Capitol Hill?

That's not an argument for making policy communications simplistic. Washington deals in complicated issues, and complexity often requires nuance. A 25-page policy report can, and should, contain nuance. But the infographic promoting that report shouldn't require 25 minutes to understand. The social post shouldn't read like an executive summary.

A congressional staffer might have seconds...not minutes...to absorb an issue. A reporter might encounter your argument first as a graphic on social media. A policymaker might see the infographic before ever reading the report behind it. Good design creates a hierarchy. It tells the audience where to look, what matters and why it matters...it reveals the story inside the data.

When promoting an idea, always ask: What do you want someone to understand and remember...after they've given you 10 seconds?

In D.C., that may be the difference between information that simply gets published and an idea that gets noticed.

Chuck is the Creative Director at Story Strategies Group and the creator of FishLoft, dedicated to educating and inspiring aquarium enthusiasts.