The Infographic History of the World

Pioneering the Infographic Narrative Genre

Client

HarperCollins

Services

Illustrated book Editorial infographics

Recognitions

International bestseller translated into 11 languages

Winner Visual Communication, Core77 Design Awards

Bronze, European Design Awards

Bronze, Malofiej22

What if you could narrate history in a fresher way?

Co-authored with journalist James Ball, The Infographic History of the World reimagines how we tell history — using data storytelling to translate 13.8 billion years into 100 original infographics. From the Big Bang to modern days, the book brings sweeping patterns to life through charts, maps, and diagrams.

The Challenge

History is often taught as disconnected dates and facts, but it’s really about interconnected patterns — empires rising and falling, religions spreading, wars colliding, inventions changing lives. The challenge was to capture these vast, complex arcs in a way that made sense to a general reader. Each spread had to stand alone as a unique story while also contributing to a cohesive narrative that carried through the book.

The Solution

We started each spread with a question: How have empires overlapped? What drove mass migrations? We layered statistics, geography, and timelines into visual narratives. Consistent colours, scales, and icons helped readers zoom between individual events and sweeping historical arcs across centuries.

The Impact

The book gave readers a new way to relate to history — not just as facts, but as patterns that shape our shared story. It pioneered the genre of infographic books, has been translated into 11 languages, and continues to be used in classrooms, talks, and data workshops more than a decade after publication.

Want to transform complexity into stories people actually want to read?

Credits

Design: Valentina D’Efilippo Co-author: James Ball Editor: Craig Adams

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