A step-by-step timeline to learn how to verify information
Timelines are not only a great way to visualize events in a time period, but also to visualize a step-by-step process. For this challenge, I chose to use a timeline to visualize the process of verifying information. I used five interactive points on the timeline that users can click on to reveal more information about that particular step. Adding interactivity to the timeline is a very effective technique in this case. I used a timeline because I wanted to portray what would have been a lot of complex information and break it down into chunks that are easier to follow. Each point on the timeline gives a brief outline of the step and clicking on it reveals a more in-depth look at the step. This makes it easy for users to follow along in real-time or get more information on the step that they are on. Check out my interactive timeline below on the process of verifying information.
The information provided in the timeline can be accessed here.
Although interactivity can be very effective in a timeline, it can be challenging. One of the most important things to remember is to plan your timeline before you start: how many points you want to have, what each point will be, and what information you want to include in the pop-ups. In my case, I knew that I wanted my timeline to have five points to represent five steps in the verification process. I used Genial.ly to create my interactive, which is simple and easy to use when learning how to produce interactives for the first time. Before creating the timeline on Genial.ly, I planned out what step I wanted each point to be and the information I wanted to include when users click on it. It is also important to include your branding and make your interactive simple and accessible for users. If planned out well, interactive timelines can be a very useful tool in making your audience engage with the information. Hopefully, you find this post helpful when learning how to create your own interactive timeline.