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Ask HN: would you use an API to create attractive infographics?
- t0 13y agoMaybe a wysiwyg infographic tool. How would you do this with just an API?
- antonwinter 13y agoit would start with templates, then a web service that takes json as the data to populate the templates. and outputting a pdf ( or maybe other output types as well ).
- sotu25 13y agoYes, I would. Seems it would be particularly useful for content marketers. I'd also like to know how you plan to do this with an API.
- antonwinter 13y agopredominately via templates. pass in data via json. hopefully it can be made really simple for the coders to use.
- coryl 13y agoCoders don't make infographics. Graphic designers and marketers do. Infographics are highly customized to their topics and you pretty much need to be an illustrator to make a good one. I'm confused about how an infographic made through a template would look. Any examples?
- rdouble 13y agoInfographics are increasingly made by software people like Ben Fry. The NYT has a whole team dedicated to these sorts of graphics.
- coryl 13y agoI haven't seen his work, but I suppose we should clarify the distinction between infographic and data visualization.
- antonwinter 13y agoim purely thinking of inforgraphics atm. in my head dv is more on the scientific plotting and charting side, while infographics is more about conveying key metrics in a visually attractive way.
- antonwinter 13y agoi only have one template at the moment. nothing release worthy, it uses svg for the template. i am building an internal system at the moment and wondered if it is worth trying to make one that is open to others to use
- andrewstuart 13y agoWhat is a "content marketer"? How would such a person make use of infographics?
- lsiebert 13y agoI would if it was free, which probably isn't too helpful. I probably wouldn't if it cost money, unless it was integrated into something else I was using and was super easy to get going.
- antonwinter 13y agothat makes sense. not that i have anything specific in mind, but i was thinking free for personal use and something cheap for business use
- 1123581321 13y agoNo. The reason is that good info-graphics designs coordinate the design of the element to strengthen the message of the element's data, and the overall layout and story to strengthen the message of all the data. I do not think it is possible to programmatically accomplish this, so I would not use the API.
- antonwinter 13y agoi guess your take is that to be effective, a person has to do the emphasis on the elements that are important, not a program. fair call.
- peteforde 13y agoNo, but I am probably not your target market. Who do you imagine your target market to be? I urge you to consider that an infographic's job is to provide a compelling narrative that helps the viewer take away a new data-driven truth. Without the story, any machine-driven infographic would just be pointless, no matter how nice it looks.
- antonwinter 13y agostory line is a compelling element. that is good feedback. i will mull on that one.