Fresh examples of data visualization techniques for infographics that actually work

1. Bar charts that don’t look like sad spreadsheets

Let’s start with the most familiar example of data visualization: the bar chart. Yes, it’s basic. But in infographics, bar charts can be styled like editorial graphics instead of corporate reports.

The best examples of data visualization techniques for infographics often use stacked or grouped bars with:

• Clear labels placed on the bars so readers don’t have to zigzag to a legend.
• A single highlight color for the key story bar, with the rest in muted tones.
• Subtle gridlines or none at all, so the data, not the scaffolding, grabs attention.

Say you’re designing an infographic about U.S. physical activity levels using data from the CDC. Instead of a generic chart, you might:

• Use horizontal bars ranked from most active state to least.
• Color only the national average in a bold accent and keep everything else light.
• Add a short sentence above the chart: “Only 1 in 4 U.S. adults meets physical activity guidelines.”

That turns a simple bar chart into a narrative moment. These kinds of examples of data visualization techniques for infographics prove you don’t need fancy visuals to feel modern—just intentional styling and a clear point.

2. Line charts that behave like storylines

Line charts are perfect when your data has drama over time: spikes, dips, trends. In infographics, the best examples include line charts that feel more like story arcs than finance dashboards.

Try these moves:

• Use one main line and keep others in the background as faint comparisons.
• Add circles or small callouts on key dates instead of labeling every single point.
• Use a gentle grid and lots of white space so the line feels like a headline, not background noise.

Imagine an infographic about average global temperature anomalies using data from NASA. A single red line climbing from 1880 to now, with annotations on 1998, 2016, and 2023, is more powerful than a cluttered multi-line chart. These real examples of data visualization techniques for infographics show how a simple line can carry emotional weight when you treat it like a story.

3. Pie charts, donuts, and waffle charts (use sparingly, but smartly)

Everyone loves to hate pie charts, yet they still show up in the best examples of infographic design—when used with restraint.

Clean pies and donut charts

Use pie or donut charts when you’re showing a small number of categories that add up to 100%. For instance, if you’re visualizing how Americans spend their health care dollars, using data from CMS.gov or NIH, a donut chart with 3–5 segments can work.

To keep it readable:

• Limit the palette to a few strong colors.
• Label segments directly, not in a separate legend.
• Put the key stat in the center of the donut: “Hospital care: 31%.”

Waffle charts as a modern alternative

A waffle chart is a 10×10 grid of squares where each square equals 1%. It’s an underrated example of a data visualization technique for infographics because it feels both precise and visual.

For instance, to show that 14% of U.S. adults smoke cigarettes, based on data from the CDC, you could fill 14 of 100 squares and leave the rest empty. It’s a literal “people out of 100” story, and it works beautifully in social-first infographics.

These examples of data visualization techniques for infographics—pies, donuts, and waffles—shine when you treat them as visual metaphors for “parts of a whole,” not as dumping grounds for every category under the sun.

4. Icon arrays and pictograms: data that looks like people

If you’ve ever seen a row of little person-shaped icons where some are colored and some are not, that’s a pictogram or icon array. It’s one of the best examples of data visualization techniques for infographics aimed at non-technical audiences.

Use icon arrays when:

• You’re showing small percentages or ratios (e.g., 1 in 8, 3 in 10).
• You want the data to feel human and tangible.

For example, an infographic about depression prevalence in adults, using data from NIMH, could show 20 silhouettes with 2 highlighted to represent roughly 10%. Next to it, a short sentence: “About 1 in 10 U.S. adults experienced at least one major depressive episode last year.”

These real examples of data visualization techniques for infographics work well in health, education, and social impact topics because they connect statistics to lived experience.

5. Tile maps and small multiples: mapping without the clutter

Traditional geographic maps look impressive, but they can mislead when big states or countries visually dominate. Tile maps and small multiples are smarter examples of data visualization techniques for infographics when you care about fairness and comparability.

Tile maps

A tile map gives every state or region the same-sized tile, often arranged in a grid that roughly mimics geography. This is great when you want to compare states without letting Texas and Alaska steal the spotlight.

For a voting turnout infographic using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, each state could be a square tile colored from light to dark based on turnout percentage. The story becomes about patterns, not land area.

Small multiples

Small multiples are a series of tiny, repeated charts with the same scale. For example, you might show 50 mini line charts—one for each state—tracking childhood obesity rates over time using data from the CDC. Each chart is simple, but together they reveal trends at a glance.

These examples of data visualization techniques for infographics are especially strong when you want to compare many regions or groups without overwhelming the viewer.

6. Timelines, radial timelines, and story flows

Time-based stories are everywhere—product launches, disease outbreaks, policy changes, climate milestones. Instead of a boring table of dates, use timelines that feel designed, not just plotted.

Linear timelines

Classic horizontal or vertical timelines work well for step-by-step narratives. For instance, an infographic on the development of mRNA vaccines could use data and milestones from NIH and CDC, with key years marked by bold icons and brief text.

Radial timelines

Radial timelines wrap events around a circle, which can be visually striking in infographics about cycles—seasons, school years, or annual flu trends. A circular layout showing monthly flu activity levels based on CDC flu surveillance can instantly communicate seasonality.

These are strong examples of data visualization techniques for infographics because they frame time as a story arc rather than a spreadsheet column.

7. Sankey diagrams and flow charts for movement and change

When your data is all about movement—money flowing from budgets to programs, students moving through education paths, or energy moving from sources to uses—Sankey diagrams shine.

In a Sankey, the width of each flow line represents quantity. For example, an infographic explaining how a city allocates its annual budget could show tax revenue flowing into buckets like education, health, and infrastructure. Viewers instantly see where the money actually goes.

These are advanced examples of data visualization techniques for infographics, so keep them clean:

• Limit the number of categories.
• Use consistent colors for each category across the diagram.
• Add short labels directly on the flows.

When done well, a Sankey diagram turns a confusing table of numbers into a clear visual story of “from here to there.”

8. Scatterplots and bubble charts: showing patterns, not just points

Scatterplots are underrated in infographic design because they look “technical,” but they’re powerful when your story is about relationships—like income vs. life expectancy, or education vs. unemployment.

Imagine an infographic comparing median household income and obesity rates by state using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and CDC. Each state becomes a dot; patterns become visible instantly.

To make scatterplots infographic-friendly:

• Use larger dots and clear labels for a few standout cases.
• Add a simple trend line with a short note: “States with higher income tend to have lower obesity rates.”
• Keep the axes clean and readable, with plain-language labels.

Bubble charts are a variation where each dot’s size encodes a third variable (like population). These are good examples of data visualization techniques for infographics when you need to show “more vs. less vs. biggest group” all at once.

9. Heatmaps and highlight tables for patterns at a glance

Heatmaps are like turning a spreadsheet into a quilt. Cells are colored by value, so patterns pop instantly. These are real examples of data visualization techniques for infographics when you have lots of categories but want a pattern, not precise numbers.

Think of a school attendance infographic showing days of the week vs. months of the year, with color intensity representing absence rates. A quick glance reveals that Mondays in winter are a problem.

If full heatmaps feel too dense, try highlight tables—a regular table with just the highest and lowest values colored. It’s a cleaner example of a data visualization technique for infographics when you want to keep things simple but still guide the eye.

10. Trendy 2024–2025 touches: layered, annotated, and story-first

Modern infographics aren’t just about which chart type you pick. The best examples of data visualization techniques for infographics in 2024–2025 share a few stylistic habits:

• Heavy use of annotations. Instead of leaving people to interpret the chart, you literally write the takeaway on the graph: “Notice how rates spike after 2020.”
• Editorial typography. Big, bold numbers as graphic elements: “73%” as a headline, with a small chart tucked underneath.
• Muted palettes with strong accents. Background categories in soft grays or pastels; key data points in one or two bold colors.
• Mobile-friendly layouts. Charts stacked vertically with clear spacing, so they still work when screens are narrow.

When you’re choosing between these examples of data visualization techniques for infographics—bar charts, icon arrays, timelines, Sankeys, and more—start with the story, not the style. Ask: “What’s the one thing I want someone to remember?” Then pick the format that makes that single idea impossible to miss.

FAQ: examples of data visualization techniques for infographics

Q1. What are some simple examples of data visualization techniques for infographics?
Some of the simplest examples include bar charts, line charts, donut charts, timelines, and icon arrays. These are easy to read for general audiences and work well in topics like health, education, and public policy, especially when paired with data from sources like the CDC, NIH, or U.S. Census Bureau.

Q2. Can you give an example of when a pie chart is better than a bar chart?
A pie or donut chart works better when you’re showing just a few categories that add up to 100%. For example, if you’re illustrating how a family’s monthly budget is split between housing, food, transportation, and everything else, a donut chart with clear labels can be more intuitive than a bar chart.

Q3. What are the best examples of infographic visuals for storytelling over time?
Timelines, especially annotated line charts and radial timelines, are strong examples of data visualization techniques for infographics focused on time. They’re ideal for showing changes in disease rates, climate trends, policy changes, or product launch histories.

Q4. Are advanced techniques like Sankey diagrams too complex for infographics?
Not if you keep them focused. A Sankey diagram with just a few main flows—like money moving from a city budget into major departments—can be very clear. The key is to use these examples of data visualization techniques for infographics only when “movement from A to B” is the heart of the story.

Q5. How do I choose between all these examples of data visualization techniques for infographics?
Match the chart to the question:

• “Which is bigger?” → bar chart or bubble chart.
• “How does this change over time?” → line chart or timeline.
• “What share of the whole is this?” → donut, pie, or waffle chart.
• “How do people or things move?” → Sankey or flow diagram.
• “How are places different?” → map, tile map, or small multiples.

If you can answer your audience’s main question in one clear glance, you’ve picked the right example of a visualization technique for your infographic.