Objectives Understand when to use visuals Be able to choose the right visual for the job Produce quality visuals

Why Use Visuals? To clarify a concept Emphasize a particular meaning Illustrate a point Analyze ideas or data Help readers process information differently Pull important information out of text

How Visuals Work Enhance comprehension by displaying abstract concepts in concrete, geometric shapes. Make meaningful comparisons possible. Depict relationships. Serve as universal language.

When to Use a Visual You want to draw attention to something immediately important You expect the document to be consulted randomly or selectively instead of being read in its original sequence You expect the audience to be relatively less educated, less motivated, or less familiar with the topic You expect the audience to be distracted You want to help your audience make sense of your information

How to Select Visuals for Your Purpose and Audience What is my purpose? What do I want the audience to think or know? Do I want users to focus on one or more exact values, compare two or more values, or synthesize a range of values? Who is my audience? What is their technical background on this topic? What is their level of interest in this topic? Would they prefer raw data or interpretations of the data? Are they accustomed to interpreting visuals? What is their cultural background? Which type of visual might work best in this situation? What forms of information should this visual depict (numbers, shapes, words, pictures, symbols)? Which visual display would be most compatible with the type of judgment, action, or understanding I seek from the audience? Which visual display would this audience find most accessible?

How to Select Visuals for Your Purpose and Audience cont. . . If you want the audience to know facts and figures, a table might suffice, but if you want them to make a particular judgment about these data, a bar graph, line graph, or pie chart might be preferable. To depict the operating parts of a mechanism, an exploded or cutaway diagram might be preferable to a photograph. Expert audience tend to prefer numerical tables, flowcharts, schematics, and complex graphs or diagrams they can interpret for themselves. General audiences tend to prefer basic tables, graphs, diagrams, and other visuals that direct their focus and interpret key points extracted from the data.

Preferred Displays for Specific Visual Purposes Preferred Visual Organize numerical data……………... Table Show comparative data…………..….. Table, bar graph, line graph Show a trend…………………….…..... Line graph Interpret or emphasize data…….….... Bar graph, line graph, pie chart, map Introduce an unfamiliar object……...... Photo, representational diagram Display a project schedule………….... Gantt chart Show how parts are assembled.…….. Photo, exploded diagram Show how something is organized….. Organization chart, map Give instructions………………..……... Prose table, photo, diagrams, flowchart Explain a process……………………... Flowchart, block diagram Clarify a concept or principle……….... Block or schematic diagram, tree chart Describe a mechanism……………….. Photo, representation, or cutaway diagram

How to Avoid Visual Distortion Present the real picture Present the complete picture Don’t mistake distortion for emphasis

How to Avoid Visual Distortion Present the real picture Present the complete picture Don’t mistake distortion for emphasis

How to Avoid Visual Distortion Present the real picture Present the complete picture Don’t mistake distortion for emphasis

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