As I look at national and local websites, interactive graphics hook me in. Can I get in and out of the website quickly, but yet still take something away? I think the answer comes down to these "infotoys" as Quealy calls it in his article ": Infographics and Datatoys: Dissecting the purpose of interactivity in Online Journalism." While, I agree with him that analysis is still important, we live in such an interactive world where people need their news NOW! If there is something interactive to draw them in, maybe they will stay on your website longer or at least remember what they saw and share with friends.
As long as they are simple and not too chaotic, I think they serve their purpose. You don't want to confuse the reader by trying to pile up too much information within a graphic. Restrain is key. I completely agree with Quealy that too much information is exactly that . . . TOO MUCH!! It can frustrate the viewer. I think that shows amateur graphic design ability. I am actually working on a interactive infographic for another class, and this is my top fear. I have a lot of information to present, but I am still trying to reduce it down, so you can learn what I want you to learn but not be overwhelmed!
The recent presidential election coverage was made much more interesting with the use of graphics to say who won which state, by how many votes, etc. But I think one important thing I drew from Quealy's article was to make sure your "infotoy" is appropriate to your topic. If it doesn't fit, don't try and make it!
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