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		<title>5 Ways to Build a Link-Worthy Infographic</title>
		<link>http://killerinfographics.com/5-ways-to-build-a-link-worthy-infographic.html</link>
		<comments>http://killerinfographics.com/5-ways-to-build-a-link-worthy-infographic.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 May 2013 16:30:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Erin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[All About Infographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing Infographics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://killerinfographics.com/?p=2421</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Do you share advertisements on your personal Facebook page, or tweet links to whitepapers? Come on, let’s be honest: Even if you’re a marketer by trade, when you’re off the clock advertisements are rarely something you go out of your way to share with friends and family. But that doesn’t mean that when you’re on [...]]]></description>
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<p dir="ltr">Do you share advertisements on your personal Facebook page, or tweet links to whitepapers? Come on, let’s be honest: Even if you’re a marketer by trade, when you’re off the clock advertisements are rarely something you go out of your way to share with friends and family.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But that doesn’t mean that when you’re on the clock, there’s no way to make your message link-worthy. You don’t just want to grab their attention — you want them to share what you have to say in blog posts and LinkedIn pages and Pinterest boards.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Infographics are great at this sort of thing. You just can’t approach them like a typical advertising project: Instead of telling your audience what they want, you give them what they want, in the form of entertaining and fascinating facts paired with visuals that pack a punch. Here’s how to make your infographic worth linking:</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Lighten Up</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">If <a href="http://vsis-www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/getDoc.php/publications/315/Weinreich-2008_-_Empirical_Study_of_Web_Use.pdf">52% of all web page visits</a> last less than 10 seconds, how do you make them stay?</p>
<p dir="ltr">You start by not giving them a reading assignment. Web users read only about <a href="http://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-little-do-users-read/">20% of the text</a> on a given web page. That means your message is getting buried in a wall of gray text, with compelling stats hidden from potential customers.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Infographics provide a solution to this problem, but lots of people still want to pack too much text into what is essentially a visual medium. The visuals will grab your audience’s interest, and the stats will grab their curiosity. So pick the most compelling stats of all and cut the filler.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Make Them Laugh</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">You own a pizza restaurant, but no matter how delicious your pies, you’ve got some hefty competition. How do you stand out?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Humor has been proven to stimulate memory — whether you’re taking a class with a <a href="http://udini.proquest.com/view/the-impact-of-integrated-humor-on-goid:821553754/">funny professor</a> or recalling a <a href="http://facstaff.uww.edu/eamond/road/Research/GenderJokes(DK1)/References%20and%20info/Effects%20of%20Humor%20on%20Sentence%20Memory.pdf">humorous sentence</a>, the humor helps you remember better. Use this to your advantage. For instance, pit two iconic American foods against each other in a “vs.” infographic: “Pizza vs. Hamburger.” Pack it with quirky factoids about how each food was developed, when and where each has fallen into favor, and the moves each would make in a boxing ring (slice or uppercut?).</p>
<p dir="ltr">Who’s going to share this one? For starters, just about every college student that likes pizza and burgers. And hey, that’s a pretty big slice of your demographic! (We couldn’t resist one more “slice” pun.) They will share it because it’s funny, and they will also remember your company because it’s funny.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>An Illustration Is Worth 1,000 Words</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Your company sells insurance, but let’s face it: not a lot of people like to read about insurance.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So perhaps it’s better to show them what your product can do. After all, it’s estimated that <a href="http://www.purduecal.edu/cie/fliers/Oct.8.2008.pdf">about 65%</a> of people are visual learners, so the more visual you can get, the better.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Bring a typical American home to life through illustration — perhaps a dollhouse-style cross-section of the interior. Label all the valuables within that home, marking each with a price tag, to show your audience how much they could lose if they’re not insured. It will remind them of all that they value in their own home.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Illustration brings the emotional resonance of your message to life, and makes us think of our loved ones. We link and share information like this because it’s genuinely useful and convincing.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the Trends</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Internet trends can be fickle and fleeting, but links for your infographic can be a sure thing if it ties into trends that have really captured people’s interest.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Look for something that’s a great balance between current events and a topic of lasting interest. For instance, the Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” is anything but a fleeting news item. It’s an ongoing discussion, and a complicated topic about which <a href="http://slides.kff.org/chart.aspx?ch=2985 ">57% of Americans</a> feel they do not have enough information. This is a job for infographics! And in fact, we’ve already put together a few infographics explaining some of the nuances of this topic.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Even years down the road, these infographics will be relevant. Almost 3 in 4 Internet users say they’ve looked up health information online in the past year. People’s interest in health issues isn’t going away.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Your topics certainly aren’t limited to health. Just follow this rule of thumb: If it’s trending already, your infographic is more likely to trend, too.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Stick to the Stats</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Your company has created a revolutionary new smartphone platform, and you know that a lot of your potential customers are busy people. That means grabbing their attention won’t be easy.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So don’t explain the benefits of your platform in long, florid, expository sentences (like this one). Don’t list the 14 ways they’re going to use their new smartphone, all of which they already know. You need the cold, hard stats. People cut their work time by 18% using your platform.<em> Pow!</em> It’s got a 97% approval rating. <em>Wham!</em> It works 100 times faster than Android. <em>Whoosh!</em> Now, that’s grabbing their attention.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Who will link this one? Product review sites, programming geeks who love dissecting new gadgets, and also anyone who’s looking to buy a new phone, or knows someone who’s looking.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Just remember: a few compelling stats trump a dozen dull ones, and any stats beat out an infographic without a single shred of proof for its message.</p>
<p dir="ltr">You’ll also get a better-looking infographic. After all, the medium is designed to visualize data in the most compelling ways possible. Make that work for you.</p>
<p><strong><strong>*<br />
</strong></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Of course, we offer up all this advice with the caveat that much depends on how you’re planning to use your infographic. So ask yourself who you want to reach. Do they enjoy a good laugh? Are they seeking some useful information or guidance? Whatever it is, give them what they want. They’ll thank you for it.</p>
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		<title>Our Geeky Office Infographic: A Look Into the Killer Crib</title>
		<link>http://killerinfographics.com/our-geeky-office-infographic-a-look-into-the-killer-crib.html</link>
		<comments>http://killerinfographics.com/our-geeky-office-infographic-a-look-into-the-killer-crib.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 28 Apr 2013 17:29:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Get to Know Killer Infographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Killer Infographics Press]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[geekiest office space]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Geekwire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[startup awards]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://killerinfographics.com/?p=2463</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Killer Infographics has been nominated for Geekwire&#8217;s Geekiest Office Space, a new award in their annual Startup Awards competition. While it&#8217;s quite a funny award, it&#8217;s one we are very proud to be in the running for as we have spent our nights and weekends creating a space we all love to work in and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Killer Infographics has been nominated for <a title="Geekiest Office Space Vote Here" href="http://www.geekwire.com/2013/geekiest-office-space-vote-geekwire-awards/"><strong>Geekwire&#8217;s Geekiest Office Space</strong></a>, a new award in their annual Startup Awards competition. While it&#8217;s quite a funny award, it&#8217;s one we are very proud to be in the running for as we have spent our nights and weekends creating a space we all love to work in and this nomination is a testament to our collaborative efforts as a team.</p>
<p>We are among 5 finalists out of hundreds that were considered and with just a few days left before the polls close, we need your vote! To show off our awesome office space, we&#8217;ve already created a <a title="Vote Now: Killer Infographics Nominated for Geekwire’s Geekiest Office Space" href="http://killerinfographics.com/vote-now-killer-infographics-nominated-for-geekwires-geekiest-office-space.html"><strong>killer rap video</strong></a> and posted about <a title="Killer Makeover: How Changing Offices Took Our Look from Drab to Fab!" href="http://killerinfographics.com/killer-makeover-how-changing-offices-took-our-look-from-drab-to-fab.html"><strong>what makes our space &#8220;hella fresh.&#8221;</strong></a> Of course, we are an infographic agency are we not? As such, 2 of our design ninjas (Alaina and Kevin) felt that we weren&#8217;t giving it our all until we made an infographic to show why we deserve to win this competition. So check out our latest infographic: A Look into the Killer Crib. Share it with your friends, <a title="click to tweet vote 4 killer" href="http://clicktotweet.com/wbW7S"><strong>tweet it</strong></a>, and don&#8217;t forget to <strong><a href="http://bit.ly/vote4killer">vote for Killer Infographics for Geekiest Office Space</a></strong> before the polls close at 11:59pm on Tuesday April 30th!</p>
<p><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/KillerCrib.jpg" rel="lightbox[2463]"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2464" title="KillerCrib" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/KillerCrib.jpg" alt="" width="700" /></a></p>
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		<title>Vote Now: Killer Infographics Nominated for Geekwire&#8217;s Geekiest Office Space</title>
		<link>http://killerinfographics.com/vote-now-killer-infographics-nominated-for-geekwires-geekiest-office-space.html</link>
		<comments>http://killerinfographics.com/vote-now-killer-infographics-nominated-for-geekwires-geekiest-office-space.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:42:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Get to Know Killer Infographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[geekiest office]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[geekiest office space]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Geekwire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Geekwire awards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[startup awards]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://killerinfographics.com/?p=2429</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s official: Killer Infographics is 1 of 5 nominees for Geekwire&#8217;s Geekiest Office Space and to win, WE NEED YOUR VOTE! Every year, Geekwire.com hosts their startup awards here in Seattle and last year, while our company was still a young&#8217;n, we made it our goal to get nominated for an award in 2013! Of [...]]]></description>
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<p>It&#8217;s official: Killer Infographics is 1 of 5 nominees for Geekwire&#8217;s Geekiest Office Space and to win, <a title="Vote for Killer Infographics" href="http://www.geekwire.com/2013/geekiest-office-space-vote-geekwire-awards/"><strong>WE NEED YOUR VOTE</strong></a>! Every year, Geekwire.com hosts their startup awards here in Seattle and last year, while our company was still a young&#8217;n, we made it our goal to get nominated for an award in 2013! Of course, as over-achievers, now that we&#8217;ve been nominated we want to go one step further and win! Please <a href="http://www.geekwire.com/2013/geekiest-office-space-vote-geekwire-awards/"><strong>CLICK HERE to vote for Killer Infographics as the Geekiest Office Space</strong></a>.</p>
<p>For our team, the Geekiest Office Space nomination is very symbolic of our journey as a company. In just 2 years, we bootstrapped our way from 2 to 20 employees, 0 to 250+ global clients, and grew out of 4 other offices. Through all of this, the team has helped shape this company by creating a collaborative culture where everyone&#8217;s opinion counts. This is now our 5th and final office space. We chose a space we could grow into versus out of and have put our all into making this a space where we could flourish creatively. Because this space was important to the entire staff, everyone had a say in it. We toured offices together and picked this place as a team. We picked paint colors, designed murals and furniture as a team too (shopping at Ikea together on a Saturday afternoon to find what we could, and taking many trips to Home Depot to design our own furniture where all premade options fell short). We even spent our weekends in November and December working hard building our desks, bookcases, and the platform our desks sit on. We were so proud of our hard work that we hosted a party in December to show this place off to friends, family and clients. We are a collaborative company through and through, and this office and all the elbow grease that went into it, proves it.</p>
<div class="onehalf" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_2144.jpg" rel="lightbox[2429]"><img class="alignleftshadow size-medium wp-image-2188" title="IMG_2144" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_2144-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a><br />
<a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4427.jpg" rel="lightbox[2429]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2365" title="IMG_4427" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4427-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<div class="onehalf-last" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_2212.jpg" rel="lightbox[2429]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2189" title="IMG_2212" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_2212-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/fooseball.jpg" rel="lightbox[2429]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2390" title="fooseball" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/fooseball-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<p>Of course, those aren&#8217;t the only things that make this a geeky office space worthy of your vote. Here&#8217;s a list of what makes this place unique (I&#8217;ve highlighted my favorites):</p>
<p><strong>THE MAIN OFFICE</strong></p>
<p>Built in 1890, this space has a TON of character featuring:</p>
<ul>
<li>A large, open floor plan without walls, cubicles or any other form of partition, allowing for a collaborative environment at all times</li>
<li>Teams broken up by &#8220;pods&#8221; of desks: Promo Pod (our marketing &amp; IG promo team), Punch Pod (our research &amp; copy team), Pixel Pod (our amazing designers), Pop Pod (the IG editors that take on requests like &#8220;make it pop&#8221;), Presi Pod (Co-Founder Amy Balliett&#8217;s desk), and the Puppy Pod (our standing desks with puppy mouse pads&#8230; and <strong>our office dog, Langston</strong>).</li>
<li>All desks built by the team and painted our <em>killer red</em></li>
<li><strong>Our favorite infographics have been printed many feet tall and cover our walls</strong></li>
<li><strong>2 murals showcasing our taglines (&#8220;Data, Design, Distribution&#8221; and &#8220;We Give Information a Facelift&#8221;) take up two large wall spaces</strong></li>
<li>Original floor to ceiling windows cover 3 of the 4 walls</li>
<li>Original hardwood floors</li>
<li>Awesome Macs &#8211; we are a Mac office&#8230; yes there are 2 PCs, but they were built just for animating video and oddly, even as a Mac nerd, I am in awe of them</li>
<li>Bike rack &#8211; no need to keep our bikes outside</li>
<li>The Land of Misfit Illustrations &#8211; yes, our Christmas tree is still up. We&#8217;re not lazy, we just need a home for all of our rejected illustrations — and they work so well as ornaments</li>
<li><strong>Adjustable standing desks &#8211; everyone can go to the Puppy Pod whenever they want to stretch their legs and do some work standing up</strong></li>
<li>A level platform (hey, it&#8217;s important) &#8211; the only thing that everyone feared about this place was that the old floors were pretty warped. So, we built a level platform around the perimeter for our desks to sit high and mighty as all hard workers should.</li>
</ul>
<div class="onehalf" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4453.jpg" rel="lightbox[2429]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2357" title="IMG_4453" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4453-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4414.jpg" rel="lightbox[2429]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2367" title="IMG_4414" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4414-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<div class="onehalf-last" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4418.jpg" rel="lightbox[2429]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2366" title="IMG_4418" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4418-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4455.jpg" rel="lightbox[2429]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2355" title="IMG_4455" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4455-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<p><strong>THE CONFERENCE ROOM</strong></p>
<p>An addition to this building was added in 1910. It split the main level in half, giving us 2 extra spaces: one a half flight below the main office floor and another a half flight above. The conference room is in one of these spaces and features the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Moveable walls that partition the room into 3 spaces: <strong>A sound recording studio for our motion graphics, a conference room and a waiting room for clients</strong></li>
<li>A moveable wall that also acts as a white board</li>
<li>A salvaged wood movable wall (yeah, another moveable wall!)</li>
<li><strong>A sound recording booth in an old elevator shaft</strong></li>
<li><strong>Life-size versions of our Rock &#8216;Em Sock &#8216;Em robot mascots</strong></li>
<li><strong>Surround sound with a Blu-ray/DVD player that actually has a Netflix button (very important for May 26th, when our office will have an Arrested Development Season 4 Release party)</strong></li>
<li><strong>A movie theater popcorn machine with large popcorn buckets to enjoy during a night of Game of Thrones</strong></li>
<li>A conference table and <em>killer red</em> benches built and designed by our office manager, Ashley</li>
<li>Projector and projector screen</li>
<li><strong>A separate hidden entrance into the recording studio via a bookcase &#8211; who doesn&#8217;t want a room secreted behind a bookcase in their office?</strong></li>
<li>Framed photos of our team at various events (especially Geekwire photo booth pics) fill the walls</li>
<li><strong>A treasure chest</strong> &#8211; we have a lot of contests in our office and decided it was best to keep a cache of prizes available at all times and where better to keep those prizes than locked away in a treasure chest? Past prizes include a set of Elvis coasters, a &#8220;Moo-Cow&#8221; sound maker, and a &#8220;That was Easy&#8221; button.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>THE BREAK ROOM (AKA THE TOWER ROOM)</strong></p>
<p>This room sold us on the office. It has amazing, <strong>360-degree views</strong> of Seattle&#8217;s Fremont with 4 walls of windows and 20 foot ceilings. We made it a relaxing break room with the following features:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>A climbing wall &#8211; again, who doesn&#8217;t want a rock climbing wall in their break room?</strong></li>
<li><strong>2 Kegerators featuring local beer. This month&#8217;s beer is from Reuben&#8217;s and it&#8217;s soooo gooood</strong></li>
<li>A Keurig to brew up our daily cups of coffee</li>
<li>A refrigerator in the elevator shaft</li>
<li>Tons of fun games like BopIt, puzzles, and LEGOs&#8230; <strong>tons of LEGOs</strong></li>
<li>Doors that lead to nowhere&#8230; they&#8217;re a mystery</li>
<li>A retro foosball table to fit the retro space</li>
<li>Yes, it&#8217;s branded &#8211; we painted the room our <em>killer blue</em> and filled it with <em>killer red</em> furniture</li>
<li>Infographics on the walls</li>
<li>Comfy couches around a plush red carpet</li>
<li><strong>Access to our private rooftop with tables and chairs to enjoy the rare days of Seattle sun</strong></li>
<li><strong>Again &#8211; A PRIVATE ROOFTOP (AKA PARTY ROOF)</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="onehalf" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/mural.jpg" rel="lightbox[2429]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2392" title="mural" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/mural-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<div class="onehalf-last" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/officeopen.jpg" rel="lightbox[2429]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2393" title="officeopen" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/officeopen-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<p><strong>THE HALLWAY</strong></p>
<p>Yes that&#8217;s right, even our hallway is cool!</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>A spray painted Killer Infographics mural made by our amazing design editor, Keanan</strong></li>
<li><strong>A bookcase that opens up to our sound studio</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>These are just some of the features that make our office worthy of the Geekiest Office Space award. So what do you say? Will you throw a vote our way?</p>
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		<title>Killer Infographics is Speaking at Adobe MAX</title>
		<link>http://killerinfographics.com/killer-infographics-is-speaking-at-adobe-max.html</link>
		<comments>http://killerinfographics.com/killer-infographics-is-speaking-at-adobe-max.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:00:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Killer Infographics Press]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://killerinfographics.com/?p=2336</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What’s it like to attend an Adobe MAX conference? It’s like guest-starring as one of the good fighter pilots on Battlestar Galactica. It’s like a World of Warcraft marathon where Valor Points are awarded in the form of Pringles. It’s like you got zapped back in time just to attend the Bauhaus design school and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/nickamy3.jpg" rel="lightbox[2336]"><img class="alignleftshadow size-medium wp-image-2337" title="nick:amy3" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/nickamy3-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>What’s it like to attend an <a href="http://max.adobe.com/">Adobe MAX</a> conference? It’s like guest-starring as one of the <em>good</em> fighter pilots on <em>Battlestar Galactica</em>. It’s like a <em>World of Warcraft</em> marathon where Valor Points are awarded in the form of Pringles. It’s like you got zapped back in time just to attend the Bauhaus design school and wear fedoras before they were hipster.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So what’s it like to be invited to speak at an Adobe MAX conference? Well, now Killer Infographics knows the answer to that question. And we’re almost as pumped as when we got that Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.</p>
<p dir="ltr">After all, we’re a graphic design agency — Killer Infographics lives and breathes Adobe. So when our co-founders, Amy Balliett and Nick Grant, got an invitation to speak about infographics at Adobe MAX — the conference at the hub of what’s new in design, motion graphics, web development, and much, much more — well, yeah, there might have been a little hyperventilating.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But after designing thousands of infographics, we’ve now got a lot of experience under our belt, particularly when it comes to what works in the world of visual communication and what ultimately falls flat. We’ve worked hard to push to the forefront of our field, and we’re thrilled to be recognized for those efforts.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So at Adobe MAX, we’ll be sharing the love: On the morning of May 7, Nick and Amy will co-present “<a href="https://www.adobe-max.com/scheduler/sessionDetails.do?SESSION_ID=7937">Infographic Design: Identifying the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly</a>,” covering the golden rules of infographic design and the top mistakes to avoid when visualizing information.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Infographics have been around a long time, but their popularity has skyrocketed over the past few years, and that means that a lot more people are seeing infographics for the first time. We’ve had to work through the growing pains, too: we’ve learned what’s SEO-friendly and what gets lost in the shuffle; we’ve remastered miles of boring text into muscular visuals; and we’re at the forefront of the burgeoning video infographics field. And we can’t wait to share what we’ve learned.</p>
<p>Of course, there are tons of other reasons to attend Adobe MAX, May 4-8 in Los Angeles. We’ll definitely be checking out presentations from Paula Scher, Jeffrey Zeldman, and Rob Legato (an absolute must), and we’re excited to run into a bunch of new ideas and stellar innovators along the way. But if you happen to be in L.A. on Tuesday, stop in for our presentation — we promise it’ll be killer, since that’s one of our specialties. Though be warned: There might be a little hyperventilating.</p>
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		<title>Office Siege</title>
		<link>http://killerinfographics.com/office-siege.html</link>
		<comments>http://killerinfographics.com/office-siege.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:39:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Josh</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Get to Know Killer Infographics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://killerinfographics.com/?p=2211</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Each Spring, we here at Killer Infographics plot new and more dangerous pranks for April Fool’s Day. Possible ideas this year included releasing a herd of bison in the break room, hiding noise-activated confetti cannons under every desk, or just bursting the water main. For the sake of keeping our jobs, we fortunately elected to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/team.jpg" rel="lightbox[2211]"><img class="alignleftshadow size-medium wp-image-2219" title="team" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/team-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>Each Spring, we here at Killer Infographics plot new and more dangerous pranks for April Fool’s Day. Possible ideas this year included releasing a herd of bison in the break room, hiding noise-activated confetti cannons under every desk, or just bursting the water main. For the sake of keeping our jobs, we fortunately elected to create a giant cardboard labyrinth of Daedalus proportions in the office.</p>
<p>Plans for pressure-plate activated booby traps, a holy grail of gummy worms, and a fully-functional wine fountain tickled our dreams. With hearts full of excitement and heads full of nonsensical architecture, Alaina, Alex, Eric, Ashley, and yours truly set about realizing our vision over the weekend.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we overestimated our cardboard gathering capabilities. As Admiral Adama is so fond of saying, “Sometimes you have to roll the hard six.” None of us really knows what that means, but I think it’s quite fitting. We made the tough call to abandon the maze and instead annoy Amy with a beautiful cardboard castle, replete with portcullis, drawbridge, and planter box, built around her desk.</p>
<div class="onehalf"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/cutting-things.jpg" rel="lightbox[2211]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2222" title="cutting-things" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/cutting-things-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="onehalf-last" style="margin-right: 10px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/alex-window.jpg" rel="lightbox[2211]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2221" title="alex-window" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/alex-window-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" /></a></div>
<p>In a cacophony of efficiency and laughter, we erected the walls, hoisted the flag, and shingled the shingles. As everyone knows, it’s the little details that complete the package. If you look close, you can just make out the little cardboard rivets on the portcullis and see the wagon full of hay out front.</p>
<div class="onehalf"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/amy-reaction.jpg" rel="lightbox[2211]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2218" title="amy-reaction" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/amy-reaction-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="onehalf-last"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/amy-working.jpg" rel="lightbox[2211]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2217" title="amy-working" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/amy-working-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" /></a></div>
<p>After spending five hours in the stuffy office on a beautiful sunny day in Seattle, we finally stumbled out into the 68 degree weather. I don’t think I was alone in wondering who really got pranked: Amy, who enjoyed the sunny weekend and now has an awesome fortress to work in, or we who toiled away over the weekend.</p>
<p>Then again, we have yet to deploy the trebuchets. Let the siege begin!</p>
<div style="font-weight: bold;"><a title="Office Siege Photoshoot" href="http://on.fb.me/YqOzSi">Check out the rest of the photos here</a></div>
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		<title>Killer Makeover: How Changing Offices Took Our Look from Drab to Fab!</title>
		<link>http://killerinfographics.com/killer-makeover-how-changing-offices-took-our-look-from-drab-to-fab.html</link>
		<comments>http://killerinfographics.com/killer-makeover-how-changing-offices-took-our-look-from-drab-to-fab.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:57:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lucy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Get to Know Killer Infographics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://killerinfographics.com/?p=1863</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As a toddler company (two years old and growing all the time), Killer Infographics has already called several small offices home. With the humble beginnings of our self-funded startup, our first office meant taking over the guest room of Nick Grant&#8217;s (Killer Infographics&#8217; co-founder and Chief Rainmaker) Ballard town home. After just a few months, [...]]]></description>
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<div id="video"><div class="videoContainer"><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/63521447?portrait=0&amp;color=c12b2c" frameborder="0" width="640" height="360"></iframe></div></div>
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<p>As a toddler company (two years old and growing all the time), Killer Infographics has already called several small offices home. With <a href="http://killerinfographics.com/about-us#history"><span style="font-weight: bold;">the humble beginnings of our self-funded startup</span></a>, our first office meant taking over the guest room of Nick Grant&#8217;s (Killer Infographics&#8217; co-founder and Chief Rainmaker) Ballard town home. After just a few months, it was time to start hiring, so we moved (up??) to  a closet-sized space above a delicious Ballard Mexican restaurant and 6 months later to new and slightly larger digs above a Ballard diner… we thought for sure that we had finally moved into an office large enough to house all of our awesomeness. Until, of course, we grew even larger. Then it was time for the fourth move in 14 months!</p>
<div class="onehalf" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2186" title="then" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/then.jpg" alt="" width="288" height="188" /><br />
<a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/820737_465187520201077_1019952560_o.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/820737_465187520201077_1019952560_o-300x200.jpg" alt="" title="820737_465187520201077_1019952560_o" width="300" height="200" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2406" /></a>
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<div class="onehalf-last" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/office.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2187" title="office" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/office-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="288" height="188" /></a><br />
<a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/castle.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/castle-300x200.jpg" alt="" title="castle" width="300" height="200" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2397" /></a>
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<p>After that, it was inevitable that we couldn&#8217;t squeeze all of our creative egos into even that space!  So after just 9 months, we could no longer be contained by the confines of our gray-and-tan Ballard Avenue storefront office. In fact, we felt we’d outgrown the Ballard neighborhood entirely. Each prior move had been just a few blocks away, gaining just a couple hundred more square feet. Killer needed something more drastic. We needed double, nay, triple the space – and new haunts for lunch and happy hour. We needed Seattle&#8217;s Fremont, otherwise known by locals as <em>The Center of the Universe</em>, and we think it needed us, too.</p>
<p>Sitting comfortably in our collaborative open floor plan of 1500 square feet (plus another 2500 square feet separated into a lofted lounge, meeting room, private rooftop deck and more), our new office (well, kind of old… it was built in 1890 and almost everything is original) has pizzazz. You might even say it pops – but we wouldn’t say that, because that can be subjective. Instead, allow us to elaborate.</p>
<div class="onehalf" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4189.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2370" title="IMG_4189" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4189-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a></div>
<div class="onehalf-last" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4428.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2364" title="IMG_4428" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4428-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a></div>
<p>First up: Original hardwood floors from 1890. Now we can hear the click of Langston’s toenails (he’s the dog, if you’re wondering what that’s about). And if we were the kind of office to wear dress shoes and heels, we&#8217;d be hearing the click of those, too&#8230; But you&#8217;re more likely to hear the squeak of sneakers.</p>
<div class="onehalf" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_2144.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="alignleftshadow size-medium wp-image-2188" title="IMG_2144" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_2144-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a><br />
<a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4427.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2365" title="IMG_4427" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4427-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<div class="onehalf-last" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_2212.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2189" title="IMG_2212" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_2212-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/fooseball.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2390" title="fooseball" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/fooseball-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<p>We also have about 17 times more windows, for that whole “natural light” vibe everyone’s raging about. So thank goodness we’re also on the second and third floors of our building, eliminating the likelihood of passersby poking their heads in with questions like, “So what is an infographic?”, “Are you selling that bike?”, and “How about a free gym membership?” — all extremely common questions at our last office space.</p>
<p>We no longer share a kitchen, and our sweet IKEA-furnished lounge with 360 degree views of the city, doors that lead to nowhere, and branded color palette, allows us to eat away from our computers – which our crumb-filled keyboards are thankful for! And speaking of eating, there is a taco truck in our parking lot. Does it get any better than that? Oh wait, it does: 2 full Kegerators featuring beer from local breweries and unlimited snacks are just two of the perks within arms reach in our break room, (which we call the Tower Room) that also leads to our private rooftop access &#8211; Allowing us to take in the sun when, on the rare Seattle occasion, it comes out!</p>
<div class="onehalf" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_3643.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2375" title="IMG_3643" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_3643-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a></div>
<div class="onehalf-last" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_3904.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2373" title="IMG_3904" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_3904-231x300.jpg" alt="" width="231" height="300" /></a></div>
<p>We originally only rented out the Tower Room and our loft-style open office, but after someone else almost rented out the other half of the floor, we decided to take it all. This provided the opportunity for our fantastic infographic editor, Keanan, to spray paint the mural we had been wanting for months. Additionally, we decided to create a space for our clients whether visiting from out of town or swinging by from a local neighborhood. As such, we now have all those things a typical agency should have: a waiting room, conference room and sound recording studio. OK maybe the latter isn&#8217;t as typical, but it&#8217;s taking <a href="http://killerinfographics.com/skill/motion-graphics"><span style="font-weight: bold;">our motion graphics</span></a> up a notch, and what else were we going to do with an abandoned elevator shaft other than build a sound booth out of it?</p>
<div class="onehalf" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4453.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2357" title="IMG_4453" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4453-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4414.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2367" title="IMG_4414" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4414-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<div class="onehalf-last" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4418.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2366" title="IMG_4418" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4418-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4455.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2355" title="IMG_4455" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4455-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<p>The additional space gave us a lot of opportunity to be creative. What was originally an 800 square foot open space, we divided into 3 rooms utilizing movable walls. Our office manager, Ashley, showed off her own creative juices (and history of set design) by building the space for all of our needs. She built everything from the salvaged wooden sound wall (flanked by our rockem sockem mascots), to the wall of track doors that double as a whiteboard. She built benches for the waiting room, a salvaged wooden bookcase, and the beautiful conference table as well. Of course, we needed to ensure the room was perfect for after-hour festivities too, so we&#8217;ve added surround sound, a digital projector and movie screen in preparation for May 26th: The day we have all been waiting for&#8230; <em>Arrested Development Season 4</em>! Is there a better way to spend our Sunday than sitting in our conference room turned movie theater watching the entire season? The answer is&#8230; only if there&#8217;s a marathon of <em>Game of Thrones</em> to watch instead!</p>
<p>Since this room serves 3 purposes, we had to be sure we could enter it from different angles to avoid disruption of any important meetings. Luckily, this old building came with a lot of hidden secrets, one of which being a hidden door! The door originally lead to a 3 foot drop into what is now the sound room. With Ashly&#8217;s handy past life as a carpenter though, we were able to build stairs leading people right into the sound studio. Of course, we didn&#8217;t want to take away from the allure of a secret entrance, so we did what any person who played <em>Myst</em> too much as a kid would do: created a bookcase entrance! Who doesn&#8217;t want a room secreted behind a bookcase? Our designers have been requesting a design library for quite some time and this bookcase provided the perfect solution. Also, we&#8217;d be lying if we said this wasn&#8217;t a fun addition for entertaining friends on <em>Game of Thrones</em> nights!</p>
<div class="onehalf"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_4471.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/shelf.jpg" alt="" title="shelf" width="300" height="200" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2396" /></a></div>
<div class="onehalf-last"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_45401.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_45401-300x200.jpg" alt="" title="IMG_4540" width="300" height="200" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2405" /></a></div>
<p>Our main office is a large, open loft, making it easy to collaborate on all projects as a team. It features 3 walls of original floor-to-ceiling windows, bright red desks (Ikea stopped selling them, so we wound up building them ourselves), and ceilings tall enough that even our largest infographics fit nicely on the walls. The original wooden pillars in the center of the room make great stations for standing desks, so we can burn off those taco-related calories a little faster after lunch. Cushy gel pads underfoot keep us comfortable even when we opt to stand for hours. Or days. Until Amy (co-founder and Chief Swiss Army Knife) reminds us we should probably sleep sometimes.</p>
<div class="onehalf" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/mural.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2392" title="mural" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/mural-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<div class="onehalf-last" style="margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/officeopen.jpg" rel="lightbox[1863]"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2393" title="officeopen" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/officeopen-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></div>
<p>Most of all, though we&#8217;re still trying to figure out where to put a photo booth to make everything feel complete, we’re proud to have an office that reflects our personalities and can be shown off to clients. Since we spend most of our waking weekday hours here, it’s also critical that our space can feel like a second home to us. For the first time, we can finally say that it does.</p>
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		<title>Creating a Space for Ideas: How We Have Built Our Killer Culture</title>
		<link>http://killerinfographics.com/creating-a-space-for-ideas-how-we-have-built-our-killer-culture.html</link>
		<comments>http://killerinfographics.com/creating-a-space-for-ideas-how-we-have-built-our-killer-culture.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:03:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Erin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Get to Know Killer Infographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Geekwire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TINYpulse]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://killerinfographics.com/?p=1898</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A typical day at a startup like Killer Infographics can get pretty hectic. By their very nature, startups demand employees that are proactive and adaptable, willing to pick up just about any task as it comes along. So we stay busy, and the result is that, yeah, sometimes people get stressed. And this has the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/brewfest2.jpg" rel="lightbox[1898]"><img class="alignrightshadow size-medium wp-image-2135" title="brewfest2" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/brewfest2-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>A typical day at a startup like Killer Infographics can get pretty hectic. By their very nature, startups demand employees that are proactive and adaptable, willing to pick up just about any task as it comes along.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So we stay busy, and the result is that, yeah, sometimes people get stressed. And this has the potential to create an environment where concerns don’t get addressed, or employees don’t have the time or the forum to share ideas that could make everything run a little smoother.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But making a space for innovation is important. We believe that all our designers, promoters, and researchers have good ideas — and we know that encouraging them to share those ideas makes for a healthier, happier work environment.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Because we genuinely believe in the value of employee input, we run things pretty democratically around here. That&#8217;s why, when we were ready to relocate, we all got a say in picking the new office.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This is how it worked: Our last office on Ballard Avenue had become too small, too cramped. We were working on plastic folding tables in tight formation. Items on our desks would frequently cross borders to neighboring desks. We&#8217;d inadvertently kick each other when shifting positions. Something had to give.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So we took a few field trips: Everyone saw our new office options either in person or in photos and videos. Then we voted on our favorites.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ikea-trip.jpg" rel="lightbox[1898]"><img class="alignleftshadow size-medium wp-image-2134" title="ikea-trip" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ikea-trip-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>When it came time to furnish and decorate the new space, we were happy to pitch in. We navigated the consumer maze that is Ikea. We worked weekends to paint and finish red desktops, and to do all the assembly for which Ikea products are famous. Designers chose their favorite infographics, and now 3- to 8-foot-tall full-color prints brighten every wall. This became our office, in a more personal sense than most employees at most companies can claim.</p>
<p dir="ltr">And why not own it, since it’s one of the coolest offices around? We’ve got a foosball table and a couple of kegerators in our break room, and once a month we have a team lunch that serves as a great bonding and team-building experience. Plus, hey, free food!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Beyond a monthly team-building sesh, we also take every opportunity to unwind and hit the town as a team. Whether it be our annual Karaoke party, a <a href="http://www.snohobrewfest.com">local beer fest</a> (yes, we trade infographic design for tickets), or a night out at a <a href="http://www.geekwire.com">Geekwire</a> networking event, we always find an excuse to connect outside of the office and we all get a say in what the next party will be (because if we didn&#8217;t, Amy would make sure it&#8217;s always Karaoke time)!</p>
<p dir="ltr">All this has gone a long way toward building a real sense of employee ownership. But creating a forum for feedback is just as important.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Luckily, that forum came to us. Another startup, a company called <a href="http://www.tinypulse.com">TINYpulse</a>, approached us interested in creating a motion graphic. When we learned what TINYpulse does, we were intrigued. TINYpulse is an HR management tool for companies like ours — not big enough to have an HR department but big enough that taking care of our employees requires time and commitment.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/karaoke.jpg" rel="lightbox[1898]"><img class="alignrightshadow size-medium wp-image-2136" title="karaoke" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/karaoke-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>In that respect, TINYpulse does the hard work for us. Once a week every employee receives an automated email with three prompts. The first is a TINYpulse-generated question that varies from week to week. The second offers a chance for employees to send a “Cheers” to a coworker (or several coworkers) for a job well done — a great reminder, because we all forget to say “thank you” sometimes. Third comes the suggestion box: an opportunity for employees to share their ideas or concerns, anonymously if they so choose.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Every week on Fridays, we pause whatever we’re doing and sift through the suggestion box as a group. It helps us address concerns faster, whether that means making a change or giving Amy and Nick the opportunity to explain why we do things one way and not another. Even better, it’s brought a lot of great ideas to light. In any case, it opens up a dialogue, which is essential for any successful community.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Happier employees are more creative, more productive, and more likely to stick around for a while. We need all of those ingredients to keep a graphic design startup going strong.</p>
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		<title>GeekWire Ping-Pong &amp; Anniversary Bash: Our Tales of Joy and Woe</title>
		<link>http://killerinfographics.com/geekwire-ping-pong-anniversary-bash-our-tales-of-joy-and-woe.html</link>
		<comments>http://killerinfographics.com/geekwire-ping-pong-anniversary-bash-our-tales-of-joy-and-woe.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Mar 2013 19:48:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lucy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Get to Know Killer Infographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Geekwire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Killer Infographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ping Pong]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Team Networking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://killerinfographics.com/?p=2080</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wednesday night was GeekWire&#8217;s annual ping-pong tournament and the Killer team showed up in full force to cheer on our Senior Content Specialist and Digital Producer, Josh Miles, seen here in his trademark ping pong tourney gear! Don&#8217;t let his outfit fool you though; Josh&#8217;s paddle only graced one table that evening, so the Killer [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wednesday night was <a href="http://www.geekwire.com/2013/scenes-geekwire-bash/">GeekWire&#8217;s annual ping-pong tournament</a> and the Killer team showed up in full force to cheer on our Senior Content Specialist and Digital Producer, Josh Miles, seen here in his trademark ping pong tourney gear! Don&#8217;t let his outfit fool you though; Josh&#8217;s paddle only graced one table that evening, so the Killer team did not get the comeback we&#8217;d been dreaming of since last year&#8217;s loss (curses!). But hey, the evening was a blast anyway — said the sore losers.</p>
<div class="one_third"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/josh1.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/josh1thumb.jpg" alt="" title="josh1thumb" width="200" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2107" /></a></div>
<div class="one_third"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/bracket.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/bracketthumb.jpg" alt="" title="bracketthumb" width="200" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2109" /></a></div>
<div class="one_thirdlast"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/josh2.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/joshthumb.jpg" alt="" title="joshthumb" width="200" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2108" /></a></div>
</p>
<p>Luckily, our team quickly found distractions from the loss and used the opportunity to show off our new Killer Infographics t-shirts in style. Our first team stop was at beer pong, which featured a KIG girls versus boys matchup, where Josh was finally vindicated from his aforementioned ping-pong mishap. (But just to be clear, it was not without a fight!)
</p>
<div class="one_third">
<a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/beerpong1.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/beerpong1.jpg" alt="" title="beerpong1" width="200" height="133" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2121" /></a></div>
<div class="one_third"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/beerpong2.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/beerpong2.jpg" alt="" title="beerpong2" width="200" height="133" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2122" /></a></div>
<div class="one_thirdlast"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/beerpong3.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/beerpong3.jpg" alt="" title="beerpong3" width="200" height="133" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2120" /></a></div>
</p>
<p>From there, we went to the photo booth to take some of the <em>sweet pics</em> you see below. And finally, a trip to the Knoll booth was a must. Not only could we sit on some highly-coveted office chairs, but it was also a great opportunity to discuss how infographics about those chairs could be pretty cool&#8230; right?!</p>
<div class="one_third"><a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0089.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0089.jpg" alt="" title="IMG_0089" width="200" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2129" /></a><br />
<a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0309.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0309.jpg" alt="" title="IMG_0309" width="200" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2126" /></a></div>
<div class="one_third">
<a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0301.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0301.jpg" alt="" title="IMG_0301" width="200" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2128" /></a><br />
<a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0310.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0310.jpg" alt="" title="IMG_0310" width="200" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2125" /></a></div>
<div class="one_thirdlast">
<a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0304.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0304.jpg" alt="" title="IMG_0304" width="200" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2127" /></a><br />
<a href="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0311.jpg" rel="lightbox[2080]"><img src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_0311.jpg" alt="" title="IMG_0311" width="200" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2124" /></a></div>
</p>
<p>GeekWire holds some great local events here in Seattle and we feel super lucky when we find time to look up from our computers and attend them. If you ever end up at a GeekWire event, look for our crazy crew in our KIG tees. We&#8217;ll be the ones losing at ping pong.</p>
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		<title>Welcome to Killer Infographics Design And Our Brand Spankin’ New Site!</title>
		<link>http://killerinfographics.com/welcome-to-killer-infographics-design-and-our-brand-spankin-new-site.html</link>
		<comments>http://killerinfographics.com/welcome-to-killer-infographics-design-and-our-brand-spankin-new-site.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Nov 2012 00:07:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lucy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[All About Infographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Get to Know Killer Infographics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://killerinfographics.com/?p=1814</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here at Killer Infographics, we’re freakin’ busy. How busy… and what are we busy with? This whole “new website” thing. We started working on this in July… and here it is! In November. Fashionably late, right? PAC. Not PAC-MAN! We’re formulating our Protective Analytics Container (PAC) to secure better promotion and distribution with thorough tracking [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here at Killer Infographics, we’re freakin’ busy. How busy… and what are we busy <em>with</em>?</p>
<p><strong>This whole “new website” thing. </strong>We started working on this in July… and here it is! In November. Fashionably late, right?</p>
<p><strong>PAC. </strong>Not PAC-MAN! We’re formulating our <a href="http://www.protectiveanalyticscontainer.com">Protective Analytics Container (PAC)</a> to secure better promotion and distribution with thorough tracking to ensure you get the links you deserve.</p>
<p><strong>Wearing hats.</strong> Not like we have a daily hat try-on sesh (though maybe that should be a new thing…?), but we all wear many metaphorical hats at Killer. Amy Balliett, one of the co-founders, has taken on the web design duties. However, since she’s a co-founder, she’s simultaneously on the phone, sending emails, managing the team, meeting with clients, sifting through Quickbooks, feeding the dog, drinking decaf Americanos, and a whole lot more.</p>
<p>Some days she has so many hats on that she has to duck to get into the office. True story. (Not really.)</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1821" title="newsite" src="http://killerinfographics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/newsite.jpg" alt="killer infographics new website design" width="596" height="266" /></p>
<p><strong>Making our portfolio POP.</strong> We say this sarcastically, of course, and you only have to check out our new “<a href="http://killerinfographics.com/projects/make-it-pop-motion-graphic-infographic">Make It Pop</a>” infographic and motion graphic to see why! But it’s true that our portfolio did need something of a makeover. It wasn’t showing <em>who</em> we are and how we work. Our new portfolio explains the elements that are the foundation of Killer Infographics:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Mastering Data, Design, and Distribution. </strong>We offer a full turnkey service for our clients, from ideation to information to creation to dissemination!<strong></strong></li>
<li><strong>Working with amazing clients. </strong>We’ve designed for some of the biggest brands in the world – Ford, Sears, UFC, Jones Lang LaSalle, Redfin, Toyota, REI, Robert Half, LEGO, McDonalds… and the list goes on! <strong></strong></li>
<li><strong>Cranking out infographics like there’s no tomorrow. </strong>July 2012 was our busiest month ever – until October happened. (We usually take on 20 – 23 infographics per week, but July yielded 28 per week and October led to 30!) So we’ve probably got another record month coming up shortly. <strong></strong></li>
<li><strong>Making waves. </strong>We don’t only make static infographics. Our passion for new ways of expressing data viz is growing, and so is the demand for <a href="http://killerinfographics.com/skill/interactive-infographics">interactive infographics</a> and <a href="http://killerinfographics.com/skill/motion-graphics">motion graphics</a>. Check out our Seth Godin vs. Guy Kawasaki video to see us flex our motion muscles. <strong></strong></li>
<li><strong>“With our powers combined…!” </strong>Our home page video says it best: we’re a team of marketers and creatives working in tandem with some of Seattle’s best designers. Throw in our latest team additions: animation gurus, voiceover artists, and exceptional developers and you’ve got the whole package. <strong></strong></li>
<li><strong>Supporting startups. </strong>As a startup ourselves, we love working with other startups so much, that we offer a startup discount. Ask us about it!<strong></strong></li>
<li><strong>Donating projects to non-profits. </strong>We periodically design a pro bono infographic for a great cause. We’ve helped organizations like Saving Cities, Backyard Broadcast, Amnesty International and the Melodic Caring Project to promote the important work they do. <strong></strong></li>
<li><strong>Staying affordable while offering all of that. </strong>We may be one of the leading infographic design agencies, but we’re also among the most competitive for pricing. We spent 6 months working with a top firm investigating the competition, and learned that we offer some of the highest quality designs out there while still providing lower prices and some of the fastest turnaround times.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Finally, we’ve been having fun. </strong>As we&#8217;ve grown our team from 2 to 20 we learned that we have a lot of fun together. We’re the kings and queens of karaoke, love pho and Cuban sandwiches, and will never turn down a jaunt to the local coffee shop.</p>
<p>So there you have it: we’re team Killer, we’re busy, we love what we do, and hope we get to work with you! Enjoy the new site and drop us a line to let us know what you think!</p>
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