Briefing for an infographic

Determine your goal and audience before you brief

Without clear goals and a specific audience, an infographic remains vague. Start with one main goal and one or two sub-goals. Think in concrete terms: inform, persuade, or activate. Link it to a KPI, such as number of downloads, clicks to a landing page, or time spent on the page. Then describe your primary target audience as specifically as possible: job title, prior knowledge, language level, sector, and what questions they have. Also mention the context in which the infographic will be viewed—website, social media, presentation, or print—because the channel determines the format, text length, and contrast. Are you considering interactive elements or functionalities? Read more about the possibilities of an interactive infographic. Would you like to know how we work with goals, context, and input? Take a look at our working method.

Determine what tone is appropriate (businesslike, enthusiastic, accessible), what terminology you do or do not want to use, and what objections or misconceptions you need to refute. Finally, determine the hierarchy: what should someone understand in 3 seconds, 10 seconds, and 60 seconds. This layering forces choices in headlines, visuals, and microcopy, and prevents everything from seeming equally important.

Checklist for your infographic briefing

• Objective and KPI: 1 main objective, 1-2 sub-objectives, measurable KPI.
• Target group and context: profile, prior knowledge, channel usage, reading environment.
• Key message: 1 sentence that summarizes the why/how/what.
• Data and sources: datasets, definitions, source references, validation manager.
• Storyline/flow: logical structure from introduction to conclusion and CTA.
• Style and brand: colors, logo, typography, icon style, accessibility rules. Not sure about your style choices? Take a look at our infographic portfolio.
• CTA and measurement plan: desired action, link/QR, UTM, or tracking.
• Formats and distribution: dimensions, resolution, variants per channel.
• Planning, budget, stakeholders: deadlines, feedback rounds, decision-makers.

Writing text for an infographic

Write concisely, concretely, and in a way that is easy to scan. Use three layers: a main title that sells the story, subtitles per block that carry the flow, and microcopy of no more than 8-12 words per element. Avoid jargon unless your target audience expects it. Choose verbs that encourage understanding or action. Let numbers speak with context: absolute values, percentages, and time periods. Write labels that directly explain what someone sees, not what you did. Test aloud: if you can't say a sentence in one breath, rewrite or cut it. End each block with an implicit or explicit CTA—click through, learn more, or contact.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you create a good briefing for an infographic?

Limit yourself to one main goal, define your target audience, and formulate a core message in one sentence. Provide validated data with sources, brand and style guide, desired CTA, formats per channel, planning, budget, and who makes the decisions.

Which AI tool can create an infographic?

Tools such as Canva, Adobe Express, and Visme offer AI assistants for layout and icons. These are useful for sketches and variants, but be sure to check brand consistency, sources, and data accuracy. For complex data, custom design remains the better option.

How do you create a good infographic?

Choose a clear question, organize data into a storyline, determine hierarchy, design with contrast and white space, write sparingly, and test with real users. Deliver variants per channel and measure CTA results.