A PICTURE, they say, speaks a thousand words.
Infographics are no longer simple charts. Instead they have evolved into powerful storytelling tools that shape how information is delivered and understood.
From explaining election results and economic trends to visualising plane crashes, disease outbreaks and sports performances, infographics today help readers absorb complex information within seconds through a combination of visuals, maps, charts, typography and animations.
In The Star, the transformation of infographic storytelling reflects changing reader habits and the growing demand for quicker, clearer and more engaging news presentation.
Deputy executive editor Sim Leoi Leoi said both the newspaper and The Star Online are among the first media to embrace the use of infographics in delivering news – digitally and in print.
“Infographics help to package our news in an exciting, colourful way as well as break down complex subjects into palatable sizes for our audience.
“Our data team analyses big data to examine trends or tell stories that can help inform our audience.
“Instead of using only text to tell these stories, we choose to show them instead, working with our team of graphic artists. These infographics don’t just appear in print but also as interactive stories on digital platforms such as StarPlus and also on social media.
“Our infographics are very well received, often receiving thousands of views online. This shows there is much demand for them,” she said, adding that The Star has won several awards for its infographics, including the WAN-Ifra Asian Media Awards 2025 in Best Climate Infographics category for its work on The Invasion of Plastics.
Chief designer Nor Shalina Abdul Samad said infographics have significantly changed the way news is consumed by simplifying complicated issues into digestible visual information.
“Infographics allow readers to understand key points within seconds instead of reading long articles. It combines text, charts, icons, maps and visuals to explain difficult topics quickly and clearly, especially subjects like elections, war and health,” she said.
Nor Shalina said strong visuals also play an important emotional role in storytelling.
“A powerful visual can create an emotional reaction, simplify complex information, and is remembered long after people have forgotten the text,” she said.
She too pointed to The Star’s infographic on microplastics as an example where visuals helped strengthen public awareness.
“When readers see the fish illustrations in the microplastics story, it creates emotion and awareness. The impact becomes much stronger than statistics alone,” she said.
She also singled out the infographics on the 2025 Petronas gas pipeline fire, which used visuals, maps and timelines to help readers quickly understand the incident.
“Readers could immediately see the fire visuals, location maps, surrounding affected areas and fact files in an easy-to-understand format.
“The timeline also allowed audiences to instantly follow the chain of events and how they were all connected, instead of reading through text,” she said.
Infographic design today, she said, is vastly different from traditional newspaper graphics of the past, which were limited by printing technology, colour restrictions and production costs.
“Nowadays, infographics are far more visual and dynamic. For digital platforms, we use interactive elements, motion-inspired layouts, animated maps, scroll-based storytelling and even 3D illustrations,” she said.
Nor Shalina said the rise of digital and social media platforms has also changed how graphics are designed, with visuals now created to instantly capture attention and be easily shared online.
“For health graphics, for example, we may use animated movements, interactive timelines or 3D human body illustrations to help readers understand complicated medical issues better,” she said.
Despite the visual evolution, just like in print, clarity and accuracy remain the most important principles in infographic storytelling.
“A good infographic is not just beautiful. It must communicate information clearly and accurately. Sometimes the best infographics are the simplest ones,” Nor Shalina said.
Executive editor (content designer) Tung Eng Hwa said the newsroom’s infographic approach has evolved significantly over the years, especially after the introduction of animation and interactive storytelling around 2015. Designers now work closely with reporters, editors and data teams from the beginning of the editorial process.
Infographics, he said, have become increasingly important because modern audiences prefer concise and visually engaging information.
“Visuals help the brain process information much faster compared with long blocks of text,” he said.
Tung added that creative infographic storytelling now goes beyond charts and diagrams, with designers using conceptual visuals, typography and illustrations to create stronger emotional and visual impact.
He said his team’s work in creativity and visual storytelling has also earned recognition on the regional stage, with several infographic projects winning awards at the Asian level.
Tung said the evolution of infographic journalism is ultimately driven by one goal: helping readers better understand important issues faster and in a more meaningful way.
“Appealing visuals are important, but the main purpose is still clarity. The audience must be able to understand what is being told easily and quickly,” he said.
