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SmartArt Category Gallery

Run the SmartArt Category Gallery Fullscreen

Sample iframe reference

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<iframe
   src="https://dmccreary.github.io/infographics/sims/smartart-category-gallery/main.html"
   width="100%" height="640" scrolling="no">
</iframe>

About This MicroSim

Microsoft's SmartArt system organizes diagrams into eight fundamental categories that cover the most common ways information is visually structured. This gallery presents each category as a clickable thumbnail card with a miniature visual representation drawn in real time. Click any card to see a detailed description and a list of common subtypes.

Understanding these eight categories gives you a shared vocabulary for discussing diagram types and helps you quickly select the right visual structure for your content.

Lesson Plan

Learning Objective

Students will be able to identify the eight SmartArt categories by their visual thumbnail and name, building recognition of the standard diagram vocabulary.

Activities

  1. Gallery exploration: Click each of the eight cards and read the description. Which categories are most familiar to you?
  2. Category matching: For each of these content types, identify the best SmartArt category: a company org chart, a product development workflow, a comparison of three competing frameworks, a food pyramid.
  3. Subtype discovery: Explore the subtypes listed for each category. How do subtypes within the same category differ from each other?

Assessment

  • Name all eight SmartArt categories from memory.
  • Given a content description, select the most appropriate category and justify your choice.

References