I Like Visuals

Here’s some of the information graphics I created in 2009 while working at Click Suite.  These featured in various reports such as online strategies and concepts.

I started to experiment a bit more, beyond the usual bar-graph, but I have a long way to go before I’m in the same league as the visualisation gurus featured on sites such as Flowing Data, Information Aesthetics and Xplane.

Taking inspiration from Tufte, this is a black and white radar graph which compared web design and interactive agencies in New Zealand. This made it easy to spot similiarities and gaps between companies. Using a transparent layer I could also overlay one graph over another.
Taking inspiration from Tufte, this is a black and white radar graph which compares the services offered by web design and interactive agencies in New Zealand. This made it easy to spot similarities and gaps between companies. Using a transparent layer I could also overlay one graph over another. Created using Excel 2003.
Not sure what to call this - a fan-pie diagram? Taking a Service Design approach this visualisation explains all the parties involved in the establishment of a new exhibition - including architects, interior designers, marketers, management, user experience and interactives.
Not sure what to call this – a pie-fan diagram? Taking a Service Design approach this visualisation explains all the parties involved in the establishment of a new exhibition space – including the architect, exhibition design, content partner and digital design partner. Created using Visio 2003.
An adaptation of a technique I learnt from Lulu, a competitive analysis.
An adaptation of a technique I learnt from my friend Lulu Pachuau, a competitive analysis to show strengths and weaknesses. We used this to help inform the design of Click Suite’s new website. Created using Visio 2003.
A gap analysis. This plots information from the above graph to show our current position and desired position. We could then work on filling the gaps!
A gap analysis. This plots information from the above graph to show our current position and desired position. We could then work on filling the gaps! Created using Visio 2003.
A 'tube map' used to describe features added to a website over time. In this case the features coincided with events.
A tube map used to describe features added to a website over time. In this case the features coincided with events. Created using Visio 2003.
A 'swimming lanes' process diagram. This has one lane for each team (horizontal), project phases (vertical) and milestones (deliverables).
A swimming lanes process diagram. This has one lane for each team (horizontal), project phases (vertical) and milestones (deliverables). Created using Visio 2003.
Following the Samoan tsunami and a lack of informative graphics in New Zealand, I had a go at creating this.
Following the Samoan tsunami and a lack of informative graphics in New Zealand, I had a go at creating this. Created using Visio 2003.

6 responses to “I Like Visuals”

  1. Katie Avatar
    KATIE

    Top notch.
    Some people might wonder if it is worth spending the time going to this level of visual analysis as part of a business process, but having worked with you I guess you put them together relatively quickly.
    Am I right?

  2. Zef Avatar
    ZEF

    Hi Katie – in most cases these took no longer than a day. There’s a lot of evidence that most people recall visuals more than facts and figures, although some argue the opposite! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_picture_is_worth_a_thousand_words

  3. Lisette Avatar
    LISETTE

    Hi your tsunami graphic is awesome! I would love to be able to use your NZ map for a diagram i am doing in visio. Any chance you would send it to me?

    Thanks

    1. Zef Avatar
      ZEF

      Hi Lisette – thanks for your comment. I’ve emailed you the Visio file – let me know how it turns out!

  4. Chi Avatar
    CHI

    Zef – I’ve been “googling” infographics and all seem to be created by either Photoshop, Illustrator or other highly expensive graphics-based applications. Your infographics with Visio are amazing! Would you mind sending me some samples (visio format) so I can do a “reverse engineering” on them to see how you went about building the graphics? I currently use Excel and Powerpoint in creating my work and already get the “wow” from my clients but I see Visio as my “next step up”. Thanks in advance!

    1. Zef Avatar
      ZEF

      Chi – I’ve emailed you my Visio file for the tsunami infographic. Visio is a very powerful and flexible programme, but Illustrator does allow you better design tools (the downside is that it’s not intuitive to learn and use – bring back Freehand!).