Visual Communication designing, completing and enhancing reports

1. Visual Communicationdesigning, completing and enhancing reports Chapters 12, 16 & 17

2. Understanding Visual Communication • Connection • Explore ideas • Important concepts • Relationships • Space, size, color, pattern, texture

5. Selecting Type of Visuals • Electronic presentation • Power points or slides • Overhead transparencies • Chalkboard or whiteboard • Flip charts • Other 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

6. 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

7. Ethics of Visual Communication • Unethical • Gender-biased photos • Racial commentaries • Emphasis that preys on the prejudices of people • Anything that would be considered derogatory

8. How to avoid it: • misinterpretations – take your audience’s side • Provide context that accompanies visuals • Always present all information – don’t be one-sided • Don’t exaggerate information • Avoid emotional manipulation

9. Points to illustrate • Difficult content to express • To complete ideas • A picture is worth a thousand words • Use visuals to make connections • Comparison / contrast • Cause – effect • Problem –solution • Compelling

10. Presenting Data Tables – columns and rows Flow charts – to make connections concepts and ideas of how certain elements are related Line Surface Charts trends of information over time Bubble Chart for multiple entities Pie Chart exemplifies parts of a whole

11. Data • Label column headings • Provide totals, averages, sums etc • Document the source of data • Write readable content • Limit each slide to one idea or concept • Use simple – understandable terminology • Dollars • Units

12. 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.

13. Delivering your Oral Presentation • Define your main idea • Limit your focus to what is on the report • Choose your approach • Indirect or direct • Use an outline • Show the sources you used

14. Mastering the Art of Delivery • Impromptu – unprepared, spontaneous • unrehearsed • Scripted– read from a script • Especially if you are presenting something complex • Memorized – committed to memory • This requires practice • Extemporaneous– prepared using notes • Using an outline to help as a promtp

15. Readable content • Use simple language • Limit content to about 40 words • Write short bullet phrases • Use sentences when necessary • Use active voice • Grammatically correct • Include short informative titles

16. Font Types and Styles • Avoid decorative fonts • Limit your fonts to 1 or 2 per slide