The Infographic Design Report 2023 [Infographic]

The design world is always changing, and staying up-to-date is crucial if you want your visuals to stay relevant. This is the driving force behind our annual roundup of graphic design trends. While the guide has always been a hit, we felt there was more to explore, especially when it comes to infographics, which have become a vital tool for storytelling in the digital age.

To give this category the attention it deserves, we’ve zoomed in on seven infographic design trends and data visualization predictions for 2023. We’re sharing these insights in an infographic, of course, so you can see exactly how these trends play out visually.

In this guide, you’ll find examples from top brands and publishers, along with templates and tips on how you can incorporate these trends into your own designs. Keep reading to stay ahead of the curve!

1. Bright Color Palettes

No matter how dull the weather may be, expect 2023 infographics to be packed with bold and bright colors. Brands have increasingly tapped into the power of color psychology, using highly saturated tones to create designs that captivate the senses. Whether the subject is lighthearted or serious, adding vibrant shades is a surefire way to make any infographic stand out.

A prime example of this trend is SEMrush, a tech leader known for sharing engaging, colorful infographics across social media and blog posts.

For a long time, they’ve used these visually appealing resources to educate and inform audiences, clearly recognizing the value in combining informative content with lively visuals.

The bright color palettes they use set a dynamic tone, infusing energy and vibrance into each design. It’s no surprise that their infographics grab attention, making people want to stop scrolling and dive into the content.

And SEMrush isn’t alone. Companies like Visual Capitalist also make the most of this trend, and the versatility of bright color palettes means it’s easy for anyone to experiment with this style and apply it to their own designs.

2. Animated Infographics

In 2023, motion graphics have become a dominant trend in design, influencing everything from social media posts to user interfaces. Infographics are no exception to this, with animated data visualizations gaining popularity as a fresh and engaging way to present information.

These animated designs use interactive features to draw viewers in, much like popular UX designs. For example, some infographics change as users scroll, allowing them to visually track changes over time. A great example is a data visualization of China’s high-speed rail system, where users can watch its expansion unfold with each scroll, turning the experience into an interactive journey.

Another standout is a piece by Foreign Policy, which incorporated motion graphics into their data on White House dinner menus. The publication used treemaps—boxes of varying sizes and colors to represent different dishes. The size of the box correlates to how frequently a dish was served. Users can either move the slider themselves or hit ‘play’ to watch the progression unfold.

The charm of animated infographics lies in their ability to offer more context and depth to the data. Instead of comparing static images, animated charts allow users to see changes happen in real-time, making the information more dynamic and engaging.

For example, a motion graphic illustrating the market share of web browsers not only adds visual interest but also keeps users engaged, making data more compelling.

Don’t limit the idea of motion to just timelines. Animated elements can be applied to any type of infographic to elevate its appeal and keep audiences connected to the content.

3. Vintage Vibes

The impact of the pandemic on design trends is undeniable, as it left many of us yearning for simpler, more nostalgic times. This led to a wave of vintage-inspired designs, and infographics were no exception. Designers leaned into this sense of nostalgia, taking inspiration from past eras to create visuals that evoke a sense of comfort and familiarity.

In 2023, this trend continues, with a variety of vintage styles making a comeback. From vibrant pop art graphics to the classic black-and-white newspaper print style, the past is certainly influencing modern infographic designs.

A great example comes from a national public health agency, which has been enhancing its use of infographics to communicate health information. This colorful retro graphic on flu management uses a comic book aesthetic, blending nostalgia with educational value.

The use of Ben Day dots and bold, bright accents adds to the throwback feel, while still delivering an informative message.

Another example of vintage vibes is seen in a greyscale infographic that touches on a contemporary subject. The old-school imagery and muted tones give the design a timeless feel, while the infographic’s topic remains relevant and fresh. This clever contrast keeps the audience engaged by offering a visually compelling look at a complex issue.

Overall, vintage aesthetics in infographics not only create a sense of nostalgia but also provide a unique way to approach modern topics, ensuring that they resonate with viewers both visually and contextually.

4. Personalized Data

One of the most engaging trends in 2023 infographics is the focus on personalized data. Over the past year, infographics that allow users to visualize their own data have become incredibly popular, and it’s no surprise why. These visuals not only empower users to see their own stories but also encourage sharing and engagement in ways that generic data simply can’t.

Spotify’s annual Wrapped has led the charge in this trend, creating a personalized year-in-review that visualizes users’ music preferences and listening habits. What started as a simple recap of the most-played songs and artists has evolved over time, offering even deeper insights like personality-style Myers-Briggs-inspired graphics. Each year, users eagerly anticipate these personal visualizations, and it’s clear why— they feel a sense of ownership and connection to the data.

Building on this success, Apple Music followed suit with their own version, Apple Music Replay, which also saw a much-needed redesign in 2022. These personalized year-end recaps have become a social media phenomenon, with users sharing their results and often turning them into memes. The power of sharing one’s personal data visualized in such an engaging way can’t be overstated.

But it’s not just about visualizing personal data for fun; the trend also involves reimagining how others’ personal data can be shared or analyzed. For instance, in 2022, an intriguing data visualization (which was mysteriously deleted shortly after its release) caught the internet’s attention, prompting widespread sharing and discussion.

What ties all these examples together is the ability to reframe personal data into a meaningful, often interactive, and highly shareable format. As we accumulate more and more personal data in the digital age, expect infographics to become a powerful tool for telling our own stories, making the data more personal, engaging, and memorable than ever before.

5. Gradients Galore

If you haven’t jumped on the gradient bandwagon yet, now’s the time! Gradients are dominating the design scene in 2023, adding a modern, sleek, and futuristic touch to infographics and data visualizations. The ability to blend colors gradually creates eye-catching and dynamic designs that attract and hold viewers’ attention.

One standout example comes from DOMO’s Data Never Sleeps annual report, where gradients enhance the entire design, giving it depth and vibrancy. This technique is used across the images, fonts, and background shapes, which serves multiple purposes: guiding the reader’s eyes down the page, creating a clear visual hierarchy, and tying together the color scheme for a cohesive look.

Gradients help bring a sense of dimension to a design, allowing different elements to stand out while maintaining harmony across the infographic. For instance, the calendar blocks in the DOMO report use a gradient to add emphasis and depth while still staying within the infographic’s overall monochromatic color palette.

This technique is also great for infographics that feature a variety of hues. As seen in other designs, gradients seamlessly tie together different colors in headers, icons, and highlighted text, preventing clashing and ensuring that the design feels intentional and organized. The best part? A well-placed gradient can even help emphasize key components like call-to-action buttons (CTAs), giving them that extra visual pop without overwhelming the viewer.

Incorporating gradients into your own designs is easy, and it’s a fantastic way to elevate your work. Whether it’s adding depth, guiding the viewer’s focus, or simply giving your design a fresh, modern feel, gradients are a trend to keep in mind in 2023.

6. Creative Lines

In 2023, creative lines are making their mark as both an aesthetic tool and a data visualization method. While this trend isn’t necessarily new, it has gained immense popularity in recent months, transforming ordinary infographics into captivating, engaging experiences.

One of the most notable uses of creative lines is in timelines, but this trend goes much further than simple straight paths. Take, for example, the 10 Years of Tinder infographic. By using whimsical, cartoon characters floating down a lazy river, the designers inject personality and playfulness into the content. This approach makes the data—such as staff departures and revenue changes—feel more like a fun journey than a dry, factual summary. It shows how incorporating creative visuals can transform a typical, mundane dataset into an exciting and memorable story.

On a broader scale, infographics utilizing creative lines, like Sankey diagrams, have seen a rise in popularity. These diagrams effectively visualize the flow of data from one set of values to another, making complex processes more digestible and visually appealing. A standout example is an infographic showcasing humanity’s rising life expectancies since the 1950s, which uses flowing lines to depict this impressive trend. By using creative lines, these data visualizations don’t just present numbers—they tell a compelling narrative that resonates with viewers on a deeper level.

The key takeaway from this trend is to consider how your own design choices—specifically the use of lines—can reflect and enhance the theme of your data. Creative lines are more than just a design feature; they have the power to turn data into a dynamic, engaging visual story.

7. Data Viz as Art

To wrap up our infographic trend roundup, we reach a truly captivating evolution of data design—where data visualization becomes a true form of art. In recent years, advances in data collection and generative design technology have allowed designers to create data visualizations that go far beyond simple charts and graphs. These visionary visuals blend aesthetics with information, transforming raw data into masterpieces.

Instead of settling for basic bar graphs or pie charts, information designers are taking creativity to new heights, producing infographics that are both beautiful and informative. These designs elevate data, turning it into a stunning visual experience that tells a compelling story.

One distinctive feature of this trend is the contrast between dark subject matter and imaginative illustrations, a pairing that enhances the visual impact of the data.

These artistic data visualizations offer more than just information—they’re an immersive experience, pulling the viewer into a world where data is no longer just numbers but an art form in itself.

As we’ve seen in previous examples throughout this list, these creative visualizations aren’t just about presenting data—they’re about creating a narrative that engages the viewer emotionally and intellectually. Some of these designs are so breathtaking that they’ve sparked the publication of entire books dedicated to data design.

The rise of data visualizations as art marks an exciting step forward in how we perceive and interact with data. It’s clear that, in 2023, data visualization will continue to push creative boundaries, offering new ways to engage, inform, and inspire audiences.

The Future is Friendly

In conclusion, these seven infographic design and data visualization trends for 2023, from Vennage, are proof that the future of design is not only creative but also interactive, engaging, and endlessly evolving. Leading organizations, publications, and brands have already embraced these trends to stay ahead of the curve. And now, it’s your turn! Start experimenting with these exciting styles and bring your data to life using customizable, eye-catching infographics. The possibilities are limitless!