Piktochart

Piktochart is fairly easy to use without any graphic design experience due to its availability of predesigned, themed templates. Piktochart has a variety of pricing plans. This review will touch on what is available for users using the free version and the paid “PRO” version of Piktochart.


INTRODUCTION
How do library staff members communicate with their users, community, or administrators? There are many occurrences and modes in which library staff members attempt to reach others. Examples include posters throughout the library, email or social media messages about new resources or classes, or even the traditional library annual report. It could be argued that a library's reputation is shaped by how well it communicates with its various audiences. One way to ensure communication success with library patrons is to utilize visuals on any content produced by the library. Consider this information: • According to a 1997 report by the 3M Corporation, visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text [1]. • According to eye-tracking studies done by the Nielsen Norman Group, users pay attention to informationcarrying images. Furthermore, when the images are relevant, users typically spend more time on the images than reading the text on a web page [2]. • Images help individuals remember information. After hearing a piece of information, people will only remember 10% of it 3 days later. If there is a relevant image with the same information, people will retain about 65% of the information 3 days later [3].
Over the last few years, there has been an increase in the number of tools that can help individuals produce visuals and that generate more appealing content than Microsoft Office Clipart. One of these tools is called Piktochart, a web-based application that allows users to create infographics, presentations, and other image-based content. Piktochart is fairly easy to use without any graphic design experience due to its availability of predesigned, themed templates. Piktochart has a variety of pricing plans. This review will touch on what is available for users using the free version and the paid "PRO" version of Piktochart.

AUDIENCE
This application would be most useful for individuals who are interested in designing visually appealing content for their libraries. Piktochart was helpful when this reviewer needed to create signage that would get the attention of library users but still fall within the design constraints of the organization. Piktochart has also been useful in producing a variety of posters to be used in the library, as well as images and graphs for conference posters and published articles. Additionally, it can assist in creating annual reports for administrators ( Figure 1).

MAJOR FEATURES
One of the most useful features of Piktochart is the predesigned templates. Free users have access to about 40 templates, whereas PRO users can choose from over 600 templates. The templates are organized into 3 different categories: infographic, presentation, and printable. The printable category is further broken down into the areas of posters, reports, and flyers. These templates save time and help busy individuals produce beautiful visuals quickly.
Piktochart offers a wide variety of icons and graphics for both free and PRO users ( Figure  2). These are a major improvement over what individuals have had access to with traditional software programs, such as Microsoft Office Clipart.  Another beneficial feature is the ability for both free and PRO users to insert editable charts, maps, and videos. Charts varying from the typical bar graph to the newer looking "doughnut" can be inserted into any visual. Data for Journal of the Medical Library Association 106 (4)

INTEGRATION
Piktochart provides minimal integration with other products or software. Finished infographics, reports, posters, or flyers can be easily shared as a link on social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or Pinterest) or embedded on a website; however, users will more likely want to share the actual visual in a social media posting. This process is a little more cumbersome in that it requires the user to download the visual first and then upload it to the social media platform. Additionally, although Piktochart offers users the option to create slide presentations, they can only be transferred to other applications (e.g., Microsoft PowerPoint, SlideShare, and Evernote) in PNG or PDF file format. It is not yet possible to export Piktochart presentations to Microsoft PowerPoint.

USABILITY
The Piktochart interface is fairly easy to understand and use. Users will find it helpful to first find a predesigned template and then edit it to fit what they need. Everything works via a drag-and-drop system that makes adding graphics and icons easy. The most frustrating part of working on a visual is that it will never look as good as the predesigned templates; however, additional assistance is available. Piktochart has a "Need help?" button at the bottom of every page, a large Knowledge Database/Support Center with a search box, a YouTube channel that contains short tutorials, and a regularly updated blog with guides and how-tos.

PRICING
Piktochart has 4 main pricing options: Free, Lite, PRO, and PRO Team. Users can pay on a monthly or annual basis. If paying annually, users can save up to 25%. For those working in the education field and at nonprofit organizations, there is specialized pricing for the PRO and PRO Team versions.

OVERALL VALUE
Piktochart is an excellent tool to assist users in designing visually appealing content; it can even help those who claim that they are not creative or "are not good at art." Piktochart's predesigned templates provide hesitant users with the support that they need to create beautiful, eye-catching infographics, posters, presentations, reports, and social media content. If a user works at or attends a school, college, or university, the education pricing for Piktochart is quite attractive. Even with a free account, users get access to quite a few templates and graphics to keep things interesting. Library staff who are interested in design or simply want to communicate differently with their patrons, community, or administrators are encouraged to try Piktochart.