Learn new tools.
Get inspiration and support.
Start designing like a pro.
Do you want the hard truth?
If you want to be taken seriously as a professional evaluator, researcher, or data analyst in the 21st century you need to improve your design skills.
Amateur information design…
- reduces your credibility,
- limits access to your work,
- has less of an impact on your reader,
- and just makes you, and your team, look like amateurs.
How many design courses did you take in grad school?
For me it was zero. When I pursued my masters degree in sociology I was never taught design. I read a lot of academic books and learned about theory and research methodology. We spent a lot of time in class discussing the finer points of different academic arguments and a little time talking about writing for journals.
I was never asked to draw a picture or delight a reader. I was not taught illustration, copywriting, color theory, user experience design, visual hierarchy, or the principles of interactive design.
Not to worry though, it’s not too late. In fact, there’s never been a better or easier time to learn.
Introducing the Information Design Academy. Helping you learn new tools, get inspiration and support, and start designing like a pro.
What is it?
The information design academy was developed specifically for program evaluators, researchers, data analysts, and the global M&E community.
My goal is to teach you the three things that will make you a competent modern information designer capable of creating professional quality work.
- How to THINK like a UX designer.
- How to REPORT like a Data Journalist.
- How to SHARE like a Content Strategist.
Why should I join?
A successful academy participant will be able to use modern tools to design professional style charts, micrographics, infographics, and other modern reporting content. They will also learn how to respond to modern design challenges, tell persuasive data stories, and leverage these newly developed skills in the modern workplace.
What makes this academy different?
I take a very different approach to information design compared to many of my peers. The approaches and tools I teach are based on my real world experience as a professional information designer.
- The Methods you will learn are rooted in User Experience Design.
- The Tools you will learn come from the fields of Data Journalism (Flourish & Datawrapper) and Content Strategy (Canva).
- All of the lessons are based on real world examples drawn from world-class organizations.
- I teach live. Every week is different, it’s more like getting access to lots of little workshops instead of one big workshop.
- I focus on the practical. Our goal is often to create better designs faster.
We will NOT focus on teaching you how to create better Excel charts, develop PowerPoint presentations, build Tableau/PowerBI dashboards, layout reports in InDesign, design graphics in Illustrator, or code in R/Python. While I have experience with all of these tools and can often field specific questions during office hours, these tools will not be taught directly.
But honestly, at this stage in my information design career, I barely touch any of these tools. I truly believe that my way of doing things produces better results faster, and makes it easier to create professional quality information designs.

But what about…
I know you have your concerns but I bet I can guess a few. Here are some of the concerns your evaluation and research peers have brought up over the years.
- Worried that you don’t have the technical skills?
The tools we use in this workshop are web-based and easier to use than Excel and PowerPoint. They are modern tools used by news rooms, social media communicators, and UX designers. - Don’t have a budget for new software?
No worries, the tools I teach (and use professionally) are also FREE. They all have premium versions, but the free plans are high quality and all you need to start doing professional work. - Can’t code?
No problem, there is no coding in this workshop. - Really busy?
This is a low commitment academy. Join when you can, and no guilt when you can’t. I promise to make this workshop as easy as possible, just show up and learn. - Can’t make the main weekly session?
I record it all. And starting in 2023, I’ll be offering additional staggered office hours each month better timed for Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. - Worried about the cost?
I offer no-ask-necessary scholarships (available for whatever reason). You choose 25% off or 50% off. - Already taking another data visualization course?
Neat, but that’s not a reason not to join this academy. I teach different tools and different approaches compared to the vast majority of my peers. - Worried that your clients or organization is too “old school” for you to get value out of this academy?
I have spent a career doing innovative work inside “old school” slow moving organizations. Bringing change is always a bit difficult, but these are often the organizations that need the most help.
What’s inside?

This online academy features:
- Weekly 60 Minute Live Sessions with Chris – Wednesdays at 3PM Eastern.
- Extra staggered global friendly office hours.
- A growing Canva & Flourish template collection.
- Weekly inspiration newsletter.
- Access to our private Circle online community.
- Direct access to Chris for questions and feedback.
- A supportive (No-CreHater) community of peers.
- A large archive of past live sessions.
- Practice activities and real-world design inspiration.
- Binge-able short courses on new tools, specific designs, and methods.
My Philosophy
If you want to effectively build your information design skills you need practice, exposure, and support. You don’t need expensive tools, lots of time, or guilt.
- Show up and learn. No prep necessary, just come to sessions when you can.
- You are more creative than you know, but probably out of practice. We have to stretch those creative muscles.
- You get more out when you put more in. Ask questions. Share your work. Make requests.
- The tools exist that let us create better designs, faster. And they’re FREE.
How much?
There are two plans. Paying annually saves you about $200 a year.
And remember, if that’s out of your budget, I also offer no ask necessary scholarships of 25% off or 50% off to anyone who needs one.

What participants are saying…
I’m sure these could be further improved (the project is finished so there’s no need to) but this got noticed because the standard across the organization is still the bullet point slide. The presentations with new slides got substantially more engagement (questions, comments etc.) than the old ones. It’s working.
Chris has gone the extra length to help me with an annual report and gave feedback on an article I wrote. Our weekly sessions are informative and practical and helping me moving forward in my data and design journey!
I listened to a couple of your recordings yesterday and I was saying to my partner that my investment is already paying off!
The best thing about this group is meeting other people with a similar interest in using data for quality improvement but with expertise and insight from different fields!
These are the first steps and I’m sure I will get better at information design as I practice and get feedback. However, even this was enough to get asked to teach this internally next year. After I showed a few examples to a friend from my university who also runs a small consultancy that provides services mostly to government agencies he invited me to teach this to his staff (which I’ll get paid for). I seriously didn’t expect that when I started learning how to make writing/data easier to read.
Now Recruiting for the Spring 2023 Cohort
Starting this year the academy will only be open for enrollment 4 times a year. The Spring Cohort will launch in March of 2023. This gives me a chance to run orientation sessions specifically for new academy members.
I’m currently working on an application. I want to make sure that this academy is the right space for all those who join.
But until the application is ready, if you are interested in joining, please go ahead and leave your name and email address here.
My Guarantee
If you join the academy and within the first 30 days decide it’s not for you, send me an email saying so and you’ll get a full refund. I created this academy because I believe I can help you design like a pro. NOT to hoodwink or bamboozle. If it’s not working for you just reach out.
Who is Chris Lysy?
I am an independent information designer currently doing work for large organizations such as the CDC and Habitat for Humanity International. As a cartoonist you will find my work scattered across the web and inside prominent evaluation textbooks.

But before all of that, at the start of my career, I was just a data analyst and evaluator disillusioned by how our field was failing to keep up with the times. I hated, and still hate, when tons of work goes into an evaluation project only to end up with a restricted use dataset and a dusty shelf report.
I also love to teach, coach, mentor, and support. Helping participants in this academy is my favorite part of my job.