Make it Visual: Infographics as an Outreach and Advocacy Tool

Abstract

This poster will focus on the importance of creating an infographic annual report for your makerspace/lab. We will have several examples from each open access lab at Indiana University. Having several examples will help illustrate that these kinds of visual aids work well to quickly convey information and understanding. These visual reports can illustrate available space, staffing, resources and equipment quickly and easily. These visual reports can serve to inform across diverse groups ranging from everyday users to administration and donors. The benefit of a visual report like this is the ease of information access. No one has to read a lengthy narrative to understand the scope of reach or lack of support. Creating an annual report can show positive impact and expansion but also can alert upper administration to understaffing, inequity and need for resources and funding. This kind of visual aid serves to quickly convey information. There is also a sharable template that can be downloaded via QR codes and used by anyone for their space.