PURPOSE

Use the information design process to produce an infographic that depicts the cost of plastic water bottles. This infographic enlightens people to how water bottles impact their wallet and the earth. 

TARGET AUDIENCE

Male and females living in the United States of America. These individuals are interested to know more about helping the environment, but do not have the capacity to change much of their lifestyle. They want to understand small ways they can help the earth. They are more motivated by changing certain habits if it helps them save money. 

RESEARCH

I found a fact sheet that provided data on different areas plastic water bottle were damaging to the environment and people's money. I wrote down key facts and conducted a card sort to study what my target audience thought about these facts. Many people were not extremely interested in the facts about water bottles. They were more interested in knowing how it impacted their everyday life.

ASSEMBLING DATA  

From my research, I concluded my target audience would find the information most relevant if it was combined with illustrations, graphs, and comparisons. People needed a way to understand the data in a simple yet profound way. 

DESIGN ITERATIONS

I looked at multiple professional examples before starting to design.
I then sketched, developed comparisons, and created a lot of visuals. Many of the people I showed the visuals to didn't understand what they were trying to communicate. Other feedback I received was to make the information flow more clear. In my first draft, I noticed people were confused about the ending of my infographic. They suggested I have a more definite ending, such as provide a list of ways people could save the earth and money in their wallet today. 

DESIGN SOLUTION

I used vector graphics and various graphs to portray the data. I used the colors green because it symbolizing nature, growth, freshness, and is also the color of money. This was a good combination and many users enjoyed the color scheme. Each section contains a title, description of the fact, and a visual element. At the end, there are steps for how to save the earth and money. 

KEY LEARNINGS

Visual elements enhance data that may otherwise be very complex. I learned how powerful information is when other people understand how to interpret it. They can use it to benefit every day life. Sometimes information can be confusing, or hard to apply because we are constantly bombarded with information. With the mix of vector graphics, graphs, and other images, complex ideas can be easily perceived.