Information graphics should never ever, ever be done at the last minute.
Many stories' readership can be improved with a clear, accurate and quickly readable information graphic. But they should be more than pretty illustrations or photographs or words.You need staff interaction on the infographic production — from the beginning: plan with reporter, photographer, illustrator (or a staffer who thinks outside the box); consider all stories, but be selective; look for models from the Internet; brainstorm for the appropriate image(s) to illustrate the point of the article; think online and interactive; consider the infographic to be an aid to the reader, not an obstacle — Keep it Simple, Silly; consider the deadline and work backward for steps to be completed; consider typography also as an aid, not just a label.
Also, I'm hoping you will explore free programs, such as Google maps and Issuu (the new program Charles found for the pages) and bring them up in class. Consider their use in infographics. Click, click, click.
Megan Jaegerman's fine reporting work in The New York Times (left — click to enlarge) provides information that also may be in the story but has been extracted for emphasis in a graphic. Details of the reporting are contained in the text immediately below each graphic.Here are links to free software and other good stuff.
PhotozigPhotostage
Smilebox
Top 10 Tips for Great Pictures
Picture Stories
Digital photography tips
Poynter Online
Software
FusionCharts is used primarily by business, but it has applications for online newspapers.SmartDraw
rocketdownload
amCharts
PersonalBrain is really weird but may be useful.
Types of statistical graphs Describes the variety of graphs one can use.
Createagraph Elementary approach to creating graphs.
Mashable Look here for many "how-to" things.
