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Here is an answer for you in the shape of adiagram:

It's probably a better question to ask 'What's thesimilarity between an Infographic and a DataVisualisation'. Let's first look at what's similar, then break downeach one in turn in order to both define andcompare them.They both seek order, and it is always the intentionthat they should be informative. They are bothvisual representations of data. They convert data(usually numbers) into graphics. They can both bestatic, interactive or animated.They are both convergent fields, in that they involvehighly skilled people from a large number ofdisciplines, such as programmers, designers,statisticians, journalists, developers, geneticists,economists and so forth.

Infographics

indexnextWhat’s the difference betweenan Infographic and a DataVisualisation?

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Information is Beautiful - Left Vs. Right

Rob Ricketts - 808

Infographics are generally created for the purposeof telling or explaining a specific story, and will

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usually be intended for a specific audience, thusInfographics are subjective. They are self containedand discrete: it is information presented withcontext; sensitivity designed and presented in away that is accessible for an audience. The graphicdesign of an Infographic will be obvious; as it willbe designed for that audience, or to fit in with awebsite or off-line publication's pre-existing style.Often illustrations, iconography and other graphicalflairs are used to illuminate the content. As this isthe case, it is usually necessary that each one beconstructed by hand, although there are tools thatare available to make them using templates.The method of presentation that is used for oneInfographic cannot usually be used for another.They can take a more holistic approach to asubject, and bring in related information that can beunquantifiable — e.g. a quote that sets a mood. AnInfographic is an item.

Data Visualisation

NY Times - Microbiome

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Visuallizing Economics - Comparing AllOccupations

Data Visualisation can be both an item, and adiscipline. The information will be quantifiable, andtherefore in the form of numbers. DataVisualisations should be objective and the entiredata set may very well be presented withoutediting. There is a greater interest in the gestalt,and less about applying an editorial process.Data Visualisations can be created for thepurposes of making sense of the data, or to changea data set into a more accessible form. Often datasets can be so massive and unwieldy that it can bealmost impossible or laborious for a human toprocess. Therefore Data Visualisations are farmore likely to be generated automatically throughthe use of algorithms or computer programs.The process that is used to create them could beapplied to another data set. They are likely to be presented without context. The system of organising the data will perhaps beproprietary, and it is this system itself that becomesthe interface that the data is accessed through. Thedata itself becomes its own architecture.The graphic design of it (in the sense of the lookand the feel) will likely be deliberately less obvious,and take a back seat to the data itself.

Compare and Contrast

In the process of making either one, there will bealways be a number of prototypes that must beconstructed. Each one of these could beconsidered a Data Visualisation. Infographics cancontain Data Visualisations, but Data Visualisationscannot contain Infographics. (Unless perhaps itwere a Data Visualisation of Infographics!). Like thedifference between a ship and a boat, a boat cango on a ship but not the reverse.The difference between them can perhaps be alsothought of as the difference between data andinformation. Information is refined data, just as anInfographic could be thought of as a refined DataVisualisation. The word Infographic is even acontraction of information graphics. Both hopefully

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lead us to the still more refined state: Knowledge.

Fast Co Design - Strange Brilliant Map

This is an edited version of a guest post for ArenaMedia

(36,136 views) 

Jack Hagley is aLondon basedGraphic Designerspecialising inInfographics 

Jack’s InfographicCV 

What’s the differencebetween anInfographic and aData Visualisation? 

The World as 100People 

Every media agencyin London on a starchart 

Doctor Who Timeline  The Times:Infographics 

The Up Group 

Muscadet  The Times: BoatRace 

BBC: Do you speakchimp? 

2013 LegatumProsperity Index™ 

Lexmark  Gender pay gap  Capital One  The Connection 

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Running on Cargo

giffgaff payback  Gym Infographic  What kills children?  Queen of the Road 

BRIT Awards 2014  Tesco Compare  BBC iWonder  Minimal Bias 

British Library  Fly Thomas Cook  Unpublished  National CareersService 

Joseph RowntreeFoundation 

The Times: CycleSafety 

Mindshare  NurburgringNordschleife 

The Venn Diagram ofBad Weather 

Hotter than the Sun  supermerger  Petrobras 

Who Runs theWorld? 

Musse  Herv - Portable Music  Pumpkin