Describing Infographics
Infographics are visual representations of data or information and include diagrams, graphs, charts, tables, and timelines.
Oftentimes, informational graphics can provide an overwhelming amount of data. A sighted person would likely visually scan the image to find the information they are looking for and zone their focus in accordingly, ignoring the rest. With audio description, this poses a greater challenge. One way of handling this is to provide a general summary of the major points of the visual, followed by the complete information (table readings, data points, etc.) That way they can choose to either continue to listen or skip it if they don’t need to know the rest.
- Image type (diagram, table, chart, timeline, etc.),
- General overview or title,
- Source/credit/copyright,
- Caption, and
- Supporting details (including embedded text) dependent on image type and context of use.
The Diagram Center provides relatively comprehensive guidance on describing educational images, with a special focus on the importance of context, but these recommendations are geared more towards K-12 educational settings. Below are links to guidance on a range of five image types commonly found on NPS brochures:
For complex images like collages or composite maps and diagrams, consider breaking down the image by section or theme. For example, a collage of animals and habitats might be dissected and described by habitat. A map covering three major areas might be broken down accordingly to describe visitor services, trails, activities, and highlights for each area.