What we do · 01 / 05

Infographics &ScienceIllustration

Visual translation of scientific and technical content into clear, engaging graphics.

Talk to us about a visual →Is this for you? ↓

Why contact us

You’ll want us if…

When words are not enough, infographics carry the message. Each one is designed from the science, for the people who will read it.

Who we do this for

Scientists and research programs
Government agencies
Decision-makers
First Nations
Conservation organizations

Your report, article or funding application needs one strong figure to explain a concept, a process or a dataset.
Leadership, practitioners or the public need your findings without reading the full report.
You have more to say than one page allows, and less than a report.
You are reaching youth or a community group, and a less formal format will reach them better.
Your story unfolds across a landscape, and a map would carry it better than text.

Infographics aren’t just about pretty pictures. They are a strategic blend of art and science, designed to break the walls of the ivory tower.

Infographics have been shown to increase the impact and retention of science by keying into people’s natural desire for visual information. They are also associated with higher citation rates for scientific papers.

Five formats

Five products, each for a different need

A figure, an infographic, a briefing note, a zine or a story map. Pick one to see what it is, when to choose it, and work we have done.

1 graphic

Figure

A scientific graphic — chart, diagram or illustration — designed to sit inside a larger document.

Choose it whenYour report, article, infographic or funding application needs one strong visual to explain a concept, a process or a dataset.

Purpose: Clarify a specific concept, process or dataset.
Format: A single graphic, delivered in high resolution (PNG, PDF or EPS) for your document.

Diagram of a watershed: its attributes, local pressures and pathways to resilience

Watershed attributes and resilienceFigure

Illustrated landscape of the factors that affect moose populations: habitat, predators, hunting, roads

Factors impacting moose populationsComplex figure

Illustrated cross-section showing how mercury moves from the air into water, sediment and fish

How mercury moves through a lakeReport figure

Four panels comparing predator and prey numbers under different harvest scenarios

Predators, prey and harvestFigure

Colour-coded timeline of a hunting and trapping regulatory cycle

Hunting and trapping regulatory cycleRoadmap figure

Diagram of nutrient pollution and algal blooms, and their effects on environment, health and economy

Algal blooms and nutrient pollutionFAQ figure

½ to 3 pages

Infographic

A short, visually structured document that stands on its own. A half-page summary of a single study is often called a graphical abstract.

Choose it whenLeadership, practitioners or the public need your findings or recommendations without reading the full report.

Purpose: Summarize complex topics, research or information in a concise, accessible format.
Format: Half a page to three pages, portrait, concise text and supporting visuals, ready to print or share as PDF or PNG.

Infographic on using remote sensing to monitor forest recovery

Remote sensing to monitor forest recoveryInfographic

Infosheet: beavers support frogs and toads, with an illustrated wetland

Beavers support frogs and toadsInfosheet

Half-page infographic: huckleberries regrowing after fire, over the years

Huckleberries after fireGraphical abstract

Full-page infographic: the huckleberry management cycle, "Burning for berries"

Huckleberry management cycleFull-page infographic

2 to 4 pages

Briefing Note

The same purpose as an infographic, with more text than graphics. Clients sometimes still call them infographics.

Choose it whenYou have more to convey than an infographic can hold, and paragraph-style text is needed.

Purpose: Summarize complex topics for decision-makers, practitioners, organizations or the public.
Format: Two to four pages, portrait, concise text and supporting visuals, ready to print or share as PDF or PNG.

Briefing note on the effects of temporary forestry roads on caribou

Temporary forestry roads and caribouBriefing note

Briefing note on alternative silviculture, apparent competition and forage dynamics

Alternative silvicultureBriefing note

Briefing note: woodland caribou depend on a lichen food source that takes decades to regrow

Caribou and lichen transplantationBriefing note

a booklet

Zine

A small, informal illustrated booklet.

Choose it whenYou are reaching youth or community groups in an informal setting.

Purpose: Accessible, low-barrier science communication.
Format: A small print format, often A5 or smaller, printed as spreads like a standard booklet; illustrated, informal and creative in tone.

Read the full zine PDFPDF coming soon

Cover of the zine "Learning from Lake Sturgeon", with an illustrated sturgeon

Learning from Lake SturgeonZine

Inside the zineZine

interactive

Story Map

An interactive, map-based digital narrative that combines text, images and geographic data (ArcGIS).

Choose it whenThe goal is public engagement or organizational storytelling. A geographic dimension is a strong fit, though not a requirement.

Purpose: Engage a broad audience with a story that unfolds across space.
Format: An interactive web application (ArcGIS StoryMaps), scroll-navigable, with maps, images, text and embedded media.

Open this story map full screen ↗Another story map we built ↗

Case studies