visual communication

1
Creating Great Visual Aids
OC Spring 2002 Visual Aids
2
How to create and use visual aids well!

• Keep it simple, Stern!
• Use message titles
• Ensure readability
• Be consistent
• Think visually

3
Follow design guidelines

• Keep it simple, Stern!
• Use message titles
• Ensure readability
• Be consistent
• Think visually

4
Profit analysis--by region and 4th quarter
profits
Example not simple!
100
4th quarter figures 40 -- Central (OH) 60 --
Central (Other)
80
60
40
20
0
1st
2nd
3rd
Qtr
4th
Qtr
46
Central
North
46 East
East
Source Misguided computer fan
Central
5
Bullet slides lots of information!

• You can put lots of print on a horizontal
• chart, without wrapping text lines too many times
• Even if you had 12 bullet points, you could
  fit them all on a single slide
• You might even decide to change the line
  spacing to squeeze in your last idea
• Your font size might still be readable in the
  back row -- this, by the way, is a 32 point font
• And writing complete sentences means you can
  stop worrying about those memory loss moments
• If you make margins really wide and use the
  space under the bullets, you can squeeze more in,
  too, just to make sure all your points are there

6
Think 6 x 6

• 6 lines per slide
• 6 words per line

Think 6 x 6
7
Follow design guidelines

• Keep it simple
• Use message titles
• Ensure readability
• Be consistent
• Think visually

8
Good titles improve comprehension

• Clarify the main point
• Tell the audience what to think
• Help visuals make stand-alone sense

9
Example poor slide title
Sales
( Millions)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1997
1998
1999
10
Example better slide title
Sales hit new peak in 99
( Millions)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1997
1998
1999
11
Example better slide title
Sales are virtually flat
( Millions)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1997
1998
1999
12
Follow design guidelines

• KISS
• Use message titles
• Ensure readability
• Be consistent
• Think visually

13
Use the correct font size at least 36!

• For a subtitle 24 point

For the Y axis label 18 point
For the X axis label 18 point
For the source 16 point
14
Choose fonts carefully

• Use CAPITAL LETTERS sparingly
• Avoid fancy fonts
• Select a serif font for dense text
• Choose left justification
• Use contrasting colors

15
Whats wrong with this slide?

• Sometimes the font size can be too small -- this
  is 18 points
• WRITING IN ALL CAPS IS HARD TO READ
• too much info on one slide can be a pain
• Whoops! Check the color on a screen!!!!
• Using unusualk fonts can be a problem
• dont forget, always spell check
• Not being parallel slows readers down

16
THIS IS A CENTERED, ALL CAPITALIZED,
ARIAL FONT, WHICH IS A SANS SERIF FONT. THESE
CHOICES MAKE THIS VISUAL HARD TO READ.
Example font, color choice
17
Follow design guidelines

• Keep it simple, Stern!
• Use message titles
• Ensure readability
• Be consistent
• Think visually

18
Be consistent with Graphics and Text

• Layout horizontal or vertical?
• Maintain stylistic patterns
• use colors, graphics fonts same
• way (throughout)
• Transitions that dont distract are key.
• Lists must be parallel.
• Consistency is really professional

19
Be consistent with design decisions

• Choose horizontal layout
• Maintain stylistic patterns for
• fonts
• colors
• graphics
• transitions
• Use parallel structure in bullets

20
Emphasize consistency

• Repeat the agenda slide
• Add trackers to long presentations
• Use color to highlight structure
• Work with templates

21
Follow design guidelines

• Keep it simple, Stern!
• Use message titles
• Ensure readability
• Be consistent
• Think visually

22
Think visually with charts, diagrams, colors
Diagrams
Charts
Colors
Simplify data
Show concepts
Highlight messages
23
Bad Example chart choice
Saudi Arabian Oil Production
1986
1987
7
1985
6
1988
5
1984
4
Barrels per day (millions)
3
2
1
0
SCALE
Source The Economist World Atlas and Almanac,
1989, p.267
24
Example diagram choice
Generating enthusiasm
Manage your time Or doom the project
Procrastinating
Missing the deadline
Blaming the innocent
Rewarding the nonparticipants
25
Use clip-art carefully

• Make sure art is appropriate
• Remember to support, not to distract
• Consider that everyone has the same resources
  avoid cliches!

26
Using visual aids effectively

• Whos the most important visual aid?
• How do you move?
• What do you do with the lights?
• How well do you know your slides?
• Why you should never read or memorize!

27
(No Transcript)