Visual Communicationdesigning, completing and enhancing reports

Chapters 12, 16 & 17

Understanding Visual Communication

Connection

Explore ideas

Important concepts

Relationships◦Space, size, color, pattern, texture

Selecting Type of VisualsElectronic

presentation◦ Power points or slides

Overhead transparencies

Chalkboard or whiteboard

Flip chartsOther visuals

Easy to edit vs cost of

equipment

Not easy to edit vs simplicity

Good for small meetings vs too complex

Low tech, easy to use

3rd party visual aids

Visual Design Principles Consistency

◦ Make sure the design elements are the same from one page to the next (visual parallelism)

Contrast◦ keep visual aids aligned with verbal ones

Meaning, keep like categories in the same color and scheme

Balance◦ Keep the visual aids and the text in balance; otherwise the

human eye tends to find it unsettling Emphasis

◦ Make sure you emphasize the important parts of your visual and not focus on the unimportant one

Convention◦ Follow the formally accepted guidelines

Simplicity◦ You’re conveying information, not a fashion show

Ethics of Visual CommunicationUnethical

◦Gender-biased photos◦Racial commentaries◦Emphasis that preys on the

prejudices of people◦Anything that would be considered

derogatory

How to avoid it:misinterpretations – take your

audience’s sideProvide context that accompanies

visualsAlways present all information – don’t

be one-sidedDon’t exaggerate informationAvoid emotional manipulation

Points to illustrateDifficult content to expressTo complete ideasA picture is worth a thousand

wordsUse visuals to make connections

◦Comparison / contrast◦Cause – effect◦Problem –solution

Compelling

Presenting DataTables – columns and rowsFlow charts – to make connections

concepts and ideas of how certain elements are related

Line Surface Chartstrends of information over time

Bubble Chartfor multiple entities

Pie Chartexemplifies parts of a whole

DataLabel column headingsProvide totals, averages, sums

etcDocument the source of dataWrite readable content

◦Limit each slide to one idea or concept

Use simple – understandable terminology◦Dollars◦Units

Closing

For visual aids to be effective, it must be integrated into the report carefully, thinking of symmetry for each page.

You must maintain a balance of pictures and words.

Delivering your Oral PresentationDefine your main ideaLimit your focus to what is on the

reportChoose your approach

◦Indirect or directUse an outlineShow the sources you used

Mastering the Art of DeliveryImpromptu – unprepared,

spontaneous◦unrehearsed

Scripted – read from a script◦Especially if you are presenting something

complexMemorized – committed to memory

◦This requires practiceExtemporaneous – prepared using

notes◦Using an outline to help as a promtp

Readable contentUse simple languageLimit content to about 40 wordsWrite short bullet phrasesUse sentences when necessaryUse active voiceGrammatically correctInclude short informative titles

Font Types and StylesAvoid decorative fontsLimit your fonts to 1 or 2 per

slide