Ask HN: would you use an API to create attractive infographics?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5930249

by antonwinter • 13 years ago

6 16 13 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

t0• 13 years ago

Maybe a wysiwyg infographic tool. How would you do this with just an API?

antonwinter7• 13 years ago

it 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• 13 years ago

Yes, 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.

antonwinter7• 13 years ago

predominately via templates. pass in data via json. hopefully it can be made really simple for the coders to use.

coryl2• 13 years ago

Coders 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?

andrewstuart• 13 years ago

What is a "content marketer"? How would such a person make use of infographics?

lsiebert• 13 years ago

I 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.

antonwinter7• 13 years ago

that 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• 13 years ago

No. 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.

antonwinter7• 13 years ago

i 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• 13 years ago

No, 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.

antonwinter7• 13 years ago

story line is a compelling element. that is good feedback. i will mull on that one.

Ask HN: would you use an API to create attractive infographics?

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