How to Design an Engaging Process Infographic (+ Templates)

Have you ever wished you could use a simple visual to explain a complex process instead of relying on lengthy written instructions or your own hand gestures? A process infographic is the perfect solution.

By mapping out the steps in a workflow from start to finish, a well-designed process infographic makes something complicated suddenly seem approachable and easy to grasp – for both you and your audience. It‘s the ultimate show and tell.

As a marketer, process infographics are an invaluable tool for simplifying information, educating customers, and demonstrating your expertise on a given topic. They allow you to break down the components of your product, service, or industry in a way that is engaging and easy to understand.

Ready to start visualizing your own processes in a fresh way? In this post, we‘ll cover everything you need to know to design compelling process infographics that will help you connect with your audience and establish your authority. Plus, we‘ve included some helpful templates and resources to get you started. Let‘s dive in!

What is a process infographic?

A process infographic is a type of explanatory infographic that visualizes the steps in a process sequentially from beginning to end. Its purpose is to show how something works or how to complete a task in an easy-to-follow way.

You‘ve likely encountered process infographics many times in your daily life without realizing it. Some common use cases:

• Recipe infographics showing how to make a dish
• User manual diagrams demonstrating how to assemble a product
• Instructional graphics teaching a skill or how to use software
• Workflow charts outlining a business process
• Scientific infographics illustrating a biological or chemical process

The power of process infographics lies in their ability to condense something complex into a simple, digestible format. By laying out the information visually, process infographics make it easier to understand the key steps and how they relate to each other – much more so than reading long blocks of text.

Research has repeatedly shown that humans are visual learners. One oft-cited study found that people following directions with text and illustrations do 323% better than those following directions without illustrations. We‘re able to process and memorize visual information more quickly.

From an evolutionary perspective, this makes sense. Our ancestors needed to rapidly take in visual cues from their environment to survive. The human brain developed to process images speedily – in as little as 13 milliseconds.

So while there certainly is a time and place for written communication, visuals can be a faster and more effective way to convey certain concepts. That‘s why process infographics can be so useful for training, education, and marketing purposes.

Benefits of using process infographics in marketing

Marketers can leverage process infographics throughout the customer journey to inform and persuade. Some key benefits:

1. Simplify complex topics. Maybe you sell a technical product or service that requires some explanation for prospects to fully grasp its value. Process infographics provide an engaging way to break it down step-by-step.

2. Educate customers. Use process infographics for tutorials, user guides, and other instructional content to teach customers how to use your product/service. An educated customer is more likely to be successful with your solution and less likely to churn.

3. Increase transparency. Infographics can pull back the curtain on your internal processes and help humanize your brand. Show prospects what‘s involved in your production process, customer onboarding, creative work, etc. to build trust and manage expectations.

4. Highlight your expertise. Demonstrating your command of industry-related topics and processes through infographics helps to establish your authority and credibility. It shows you know your stuff inside and out.

5. Improve information retention. People remember 55% more information when it‘s presented with visuals. Using process infographics in your marketing and sales collateral can help your key messages stick in prospects‘ minds.

Now that you know why process infographics deserve a spot in your content strategy, let‘s look at how to create an effective one.

How to create a process infographic in 6 steps

Creating a professional process infographic doesn‘t require an extensive graphic design background. Just follow these 6 steps:

1. Outline your goals and target audience

Before you put pen to paper (or mouse to screen), take some time to think through what you want to achieve with your infographic. What process are you trying to explain and why? What do you want the viewer to know or do after seeing it?

Also consider your target audience. How familiar are they with the process or topic already? What knowledge gaps do you need to fill in? What kind of visual style are they most likely to respond to?

Defining your goals and audience upfront will guide your content and design decisions. Meet with relevant stakeholders to get aligned.

2. Break the process down into steps

Now it‘s time to map out the specific steps of the process you want to visualize. If it‘s a workflow you‘re intimately familiar with, you can probably sketch out the key phases off the top of your head.

If you‘re working with subject matter experts or drawing from reference materials, do careful research to make sure you fully understand the process. Reach out to internal experts and pick their brains if needed.

The key is to simplify the process as much as possible. Avoid getting too in the weeds with minor details that aren‘t essential to the high-level explanation. Aim for no more than 6-10 major steps.

Write out the steps in a logical order, using clear, concise language. This will form the basis of your infographic copy.

3. Gather data and examples

To add substance and credibility to your infographic, incorporate relevant data points, examples, and contextual information. Do some research to find compelling statistics, quotes, or case studies that help illustrate the process.

For example, if you‘re mapping out your company‘s creative process, you might include figures like average timelines, revision rounds, or production volume. If you‘re diagramming a biological process, look for studies with useful data you can cite.

Peppering your designs with real-world details and examples will make the information more concrete and add an element of social proof.

4. Choose a layout and visual style

Organize your steps and visuals into a logical infographic layout. Some common layout formats for process infographics:

• Vertical list: Steps are stacked top to bottom in sequential order, connected by lines or arrows
• Horizontal flow: Steps move from left to right across the page or screen
• Circular chart: Shows a cyclical process with steps in a circular formation
• Roadmap: Steps are laid out along a winding path, usually with milestone markers
• Flowchart: Demonstrates conditional logic with "yes/no" paths and decision trees

Pick a layout that provides a natural, intuitive flow for your information. Vertical and horizontal orientations work well for straightforward linear processes. Circular charts are great for illustrating a repeating process.

Also decide on the overall visual style and theme for your design. Will it be more playful and illustrative or sleek and professional? Incorporate your brand colors, fonts, and any other established design elements for consistency.

5. Design and refine

It‘s time to bring your vision to life! If you have some graphic design chops, you can create the infographic yourself using a tool like Adobe Illustrator. If not, tap a designer on your team or consider using an infographic maker tool or template (more on those later).

As you flesh out the initial concept, focus on:

• Hierarchy: Use typography, colors, and placement to create a clear visual hierarchy. The title should be prominent, section headers should organize the content, and data points should be called out.

• Visuals: Incorporate relevant visuals like icons, pictograms, illustrations, and photos to represent each step in the process. The graphics should be clear, consistent, and purposeful.

• Whitespace: Avoid the temptation to cram in too much information. Leave plenty of breathing room around the elements for an uncluttered look.

Once you have a solid first draft, gather feedback from others. Ask colleagues if the process is easy to follow, if any information is missing, and if the overall design is visually appealing. Does it effectively convey the key points? Revise based on their input.

6. Promote and distribute

Finally, it‘s time to release your process infographic out into the world! There are many ways to put it to work for you:

• Embed the infographic on your website or blog
• Share it on social media channels
• Include it in presentations and sales materials
• Add it to help documentation or knowledge bases
• Print it out as a poster for your office
• Use it in paid ads to drive traffic

To make your infographic as shareworthy as possible, don‘t forget to add a embed code and social sharing buttons. Write keyword-optimized alt text to help it show up in search results. And always include your logo and website URL on the infographic itself.

Creating valuable, share-worthy infographics can be an extremely effective way to earn high-quality links back to your site. If people find your infographic useful, they‘re more likely to share with their networks and link to it as an informational resource. Those backlinks can boost your search engine rankings.

Process infographic best practices

As you go about designing your process infographic, keep these best practices in mind:

• Focus on one process per infographic. Trying to cram multiple processes or subtopics into a single infographic will only overwhelm viewers. Break them out into separate visuals for maximum impact.

• Know your audience. Use language and terminology that will resonate with your specific audience. Strike the appropriate tone based on their familiarity and interest level.

• Keep text concise. Let the visuals do the heavy lifting. Avoid long paragraphs of text – stick to brief explanatory labels and data callouts.

• Use directional cues. Incorporate arrows, lines, and numbering to guide the viewer‘s eye from step to step in order. Create a logical information hierarchy.

• Make it scannable. Organize the content with distinct sections and headers so readers can quickly get the gist. Most people will scan before committing to a full read-through.

• Cite reputable sources. If you‘re including any data points or quotes, cite the original source to add credibility. Only pull from authoritative, unbiased sources.

• Prioritize clarity over cleverness. Make sure your message is coming through loud and clear. Don‘t let artistic flourishes overshadow the main points.

• Use a cohesive color palette. Stick to 2-4 main colors that complement each other and align with your visual brand. Use contrasting colors strategically to make certain elements pop.

• Provide next steps. What do you want people to do after viewing your infographic? Include a clear call-to-action, like visiting a product page or signing up for more information.

Where to find process infographic templates

You can definitely design an infographic from scratch, but templates provide an easy launching point. Here are some of our favorite resources for process infographic templates:

1. Venngage process templates – Venngage offers a wide selection of professionally designed infographic templates, including many tailored for visualizing processes. Simply customize with your own content. Paid plans start at $19/month.

2. Canva process templates – You‘ll find a variety of creative infographic layouts in Canva‘s template library, with fun themes for everything from recipes to timelines. Customize the colors and visuals to make it your own. Free and paid plans available.

3. Piktochart process templates – Piktochart has a dedicated category for process infographic templates with options for cyclical, linear, and flowchart formats. Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor is great for design novices. Paid plans start at $29/month.

4. Hubspot‘s 15 free infographic templates – We‘ve created 15 free PowerPoint and Adobe Illustrator templates that are easy to customize for your process infographics. Use them as a starting point for your own designs.

The beauty of templates is they allow you to create stunning, professional-looking infographics without needing extensive design experience. Of course, you can always hire a freelance designer for a completely custom infographic if you have the budget.

Visualize your processes with infographics

Processes are a natural part of our everyday lives and work, but trying to explain them through words alone is rarely the most effective approach. A thoughtfully designed process infographic can demystify even the most complex of processes and make them infinitely more accessible to your audience.

Use the tips, best practices, and templates we‘ve covered here to start developing your own process infographics to educate prospects, onboard customers, and showcase your expertise. Incorporate them into your content marketing strategy to snag attention, make your messages stickier, and boost your authority.

Remember – clarity is key. Focus on breaking down the process into clear, sequential steps, using visuals to enhance the explanation, and choosing a layout that‘s easy to follow. With careful planning and iterations, you can design an engaging infographic that empowers your audience and elevates your brand.