{"id":143,"date":"2019-02-01T21:23:02","date_gmt":"2019-02-01T21:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-communicationforprofessionals\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=143"},"modified":"2019-07-11T20:48:49","modified_gmt":"2019-07-11T20:48:49","slug":"effective-visuals","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-communicationforprofessionals\/chapter\/effective-visuals\/","title":{"raw":"Effective Visual Images","rendered":"Effective Visual Images"},"content":{"raw":"<h2>Why Use Visuals?<\/h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1470\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4022\/2019\/02\/10143506\/19-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/>\r\n\r\nThink about the last time you asked for directions to a location. In addition to the directions of \u201cgo north\u201d or \u201cturn right on Main Street,\u201d if your directions included a map, then you know how helpful it is when you have a visual representation of information. A simple visual can take the place of many words. For example, the word \u201cSTOP\u201d is a fairly easy word, but a red light or octagonal sign removes the need for any words at all. The weather report shows you a rain cloud, and you grab your umbrella without a second thought. Often, your message can be more clearly understood by incorporating visuals, as visuals attract attention and engage your audience. Visuals make your communication noticeable.\r\n\r\nMany studies have been done on the impact of visuals, with results such as those below:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Only 70 percent of people reading labels on medicine containers understand the instructions when they are written in text form, but that understanding increases to 95 percent when the text is accompanied by images. <sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/li>\r\n \t<li>People follow written directions 323 percent better when images accompany instructions. <sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/li>\r\n \t<li>People are 80 percent more likely to engage with content when it features color visuals.<sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Facebook audiences are 651 percent more likely to engage with a post if it includes an image, compared with posts that don\u2019t.<sup class=\"footnote\">[4]<\/sup><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nFrom this, we know that visuals can make your communication easier to access and understand. But do they help you make a point, create a convincing message, or sell an idea?\u00a0 Yes:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>When listening to an oral presentation, 50 percent of an audience may be persuaded by the language alone, but that number increases to 67 percent when the presentation features visuals. <sup class=\"footnote\">[5]<\/sup><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThe following video emphasizes the importance of visual communication in business.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N7sC-qaiKIQ\r\n<h2>Characteristics of Effective Visuals<\/h2>\r\nVisuals need to adhere to all of the characteristics of effective communication, and particularly the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>clarity:<\/strong> visuals should be clear, clean, and simple<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>consistency:<\/strong> visuals should generally maintain a uniform look and feel within one presentation or document; visuals representing a company should maintain consistency with that company's brand<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>relevancy:<\/strong> visuals should make sense as a part of the whole communication and clearly illustrate their concepts<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThere's also an additional characteristic of effective visuals:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>persuasiveness<\/strong>: visuals should inspire increased understanding and, in some cases, an emotional bond with the content they enhance<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Clarity<\/h3>\r\nIn general, clear visuals have:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>sharp images<\/strong> - There should be a sharp, clearly delineated focal point.\u00a0 Blurred images that are not intentional, and do not have a clear focal point, may be difficult to absorb.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>appropriate colors<\/strong> - If you have a pie chart or a graph, it helps to use obviously contrasting colors (e.g., red, yellow, blue) for ease of reading (as opposed, for example, to making each piece is a different shade of green).\u00a0 Images that illustrate positive information may use bolder colors than images that illustrate more solemn information.\u00a0 Visuals that represent a company should adhere to that company's color scheme.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>easy-to-read fonts <\/strong>- Fancy lettering slows your reader down. Choose a font that\u2019s easy to read, such as one of the many discussed by author\u00a0John Wood in his blog for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.awai.com\/2011\/10\/the-best-fonts-to-use-in-print-online-and-email\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">American Writers &amp; Artists, Inc.<\/a>\u00a0website. In general, paper documents may use standard serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman), while online documents use sans serif fonts (e.g., Calibri, Ariel).<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>pertinent information<\/strong> - Include only information you need to highlight in the visual.\u00a0 For example, if the point of your communication is to show that sales have gone up 22 percent over last year, your graph should feature that information, and nothing about expenses, employee turnover, or gross margin, even if you intend to make points about those concepts later on.\u00a0 Confine one visual to one main concept.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Consistency<\/h3>\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1476 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4022\/2019\/02\/10170426\/34-300x194.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"194\" \/>\r\n\r\nMaintain the same font, base colors, heading colors, and types of images throughout a presentation or written document.\u00a0 For example, this page on effective visual images looks lot like the other pages in this text. Uniformity helps an audience understand what to expect and better prepares them to engage with your message, especially if your message is delivered in a medium that uses a lot of print. (Note that for powerpoint presentations, maintain consistency in color and font, but not necessarily in slide layout, as current powerpoint trends have moved away from lock-step template consistency.)\r\n\r\nConsider the following characteristics that help create visual consistency in a communication:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use the same type of visual for multiple representations of the same information. <\/strong>For example, if you start out with a bar chart showing annual sales, don\u2019t turn the same information into a line graph in the next section and a stacked bar chart in the section after that, as different representations of the same information tend to confuse an audience. Keep in mind that if you found the best visual scheme to explain the data in the first place, there\u2019s no reason to change it for the sake of variety.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Maintain a consistent color scheme and font type.<\/strong>\u00a0If you show sales on your graphs in red, always show them in red. If you\u2019ve chosen one easy-to-read font for all your slides, there\u2019s no need to deviate.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use images that are visually similar.<\/strong> For example, if you\u2019re using photos that depict real people, inserting a pencil drawing of a person may be jarring. If you're using a series of head shots, the heads should all be about the same size. If four of the pictures show a person\u2019s head and shoulders, the fifth one should not show a person standing up.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Relevancy<\/h3>\r\nVisuals should relate to and enhance your main concepts.\u00a0 For example, if your main point relates to annual sales, your charts and graphs should not deal with employee turnover rates. If your presentation is about your company\u2019s efforts to reduce waste, that presentation would not likely feature a photograph of flowers. That\u2019s relevancy at a very basic level.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-1473 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4022\/2019\/02\/10164854\/26-281x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"281\" height=\"300\" \/>\r\n\r\nKeeping communication \u201con brand\u201d takes relevancy to a whole new level. Companies rely on visual media as much as the written word to deliver their brand message and, as a communicator, you need to keep your choice of visual elements relevant to your company\u2019s brand.\u00a0 For example, if you ever visit\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.target.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Target<\/a>\u2019s website, you may notice there\u2019s a whole lot of red. Target has a series of colors and images that coincide with the way they identify themselves as a company and the promises they make to their customers. You see a lot of crisp clean backgrounds with vivid pictures showing style and value\u2014and a lot of red fonts and bulls eyes. As another example, <a href=\"https:\/\/disneyworld.disney.go.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Disney<\/a> photos always depict happy families interacting with characters and enjoying the entertainment.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Persuasiveness<\/h3>\r\nYour visuals should help you tell your story. Even if your data is persuasive, language is aided by visual representation. Images, charts, videos, or any visual will enhance both audience understanding and retention of information.\u00a0 For maximum persuasiveness, make sure that your visuals are easy to understand and from reliable sources. If you\u2019re communicating in aid of a cause, you may want to choose an image that invokes some emotion, without being too blatant. This doesn\u2019t mean that you should sacrifice objectivity when you persuade through visuals. Your communication strategy on the whole is an engagement tool, and your choice of visuals should strengthen that engagement.\r\n<h3>Summary<\/h3>\r\nThe following video offers a good review of concepts related to effective visuals.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6frZzURDLTE\r\n\r\nThe following video discusses basics strategies related to using images in your communications.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=MELKuexR3sQ\r\n<h2>Making Visuals Accessible<\/h2>\r\nConsider all of your audience members' needs when creating visuals, from paper handouts to presentation slides to writing on a flip chart. The American Psychological Association's page on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apa.org\/pi\/disability\/resources\/convention\/index\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Accessibility Guidelines for Speakers<\/a> contains a useful overview of strategies to consider.\u00a0 Other useful overviews are DO-IT's page on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washington.edu\/doit\/how-can-you-make-your-presentation-accessible\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How can you make your presentation accessible?<\/a> and Ravenhall's article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smashingmagazine.com\/2018\/11\/inclusive-design-accessible-presentations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Inclusive Design for Accessible Presentations<\/a>, among many others.\r\n\r\nHere are a few quick tips for accessibility:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>use larger type so that text can be easily viewed and read<\/li>\r\n \t<li>do not use color only as a means of conveying information (so that printed versions in black and white make sense)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>provide a text alternative for non-text material, including images and videos, as automatic captioning and screen readers do not always work well, especially for charts and graphs<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThe point here is that, especially if you have a large viewing or reading audience and don't know members' needs, you should be aware of accessibility strategies, which actually can help all members of your audience.\r\n\r\nHere's an example of how a screen reader reads automatically reads a graph - you can see how inaccessible it makes the visual communication.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/51olpSqhSuk\r\n<h2>Using Visuals Ethically<\/h2>\r\nAs a final note, make sure that you use images that are licensed for public use.\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pixabay.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pixabay<\/a> is one good source of free images with no rights reserved, and there are other similar sites with free, usable images.\u00a0 Check other images for <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Creative Commons<\/a> licensing, and understand the different terms of use for the different licenses. Check YouTube videos to see if they are copyrighted or available to use.\u00a0 Avoid the temptation of using what you find through a quick google search, in favor of using visuals that have been created for public use.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1491\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4022\/2019\/02\/11152907\/44-300x104.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"104\" \/>\r\n<span id=\"attribution\" class=\"photo_usage-attribution\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/23956833@N00\/3358104892\">\"Licenza Creative Commons by-nc-nd\"<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/23956833@N00\">lordcima<\/a>\u00a0is licensed under\u00a0<a class=\"photo_license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/2.0\/?ref=ccsearch&amp;atype=rich\">CC BY-NC-ND 2.0\u00a0<\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\n<sup>[1] <\/sup>Dowse, R. &amp; Ehlers, M. (2005).\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/15950838\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Medicine labels incorporating pictograms: Do they influence understanding and adherence?<\/a>, Patient Education and Counseling, Vol 58, Issue 1.\r\n\r\n<sup>[2] <\/sup>University of\u00a0 New Hampshire. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aucd.org\/docs\/webinars\/Infographics.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How Infographics Can Enhance Your Communications Strategy<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<sup>[3] <\/sup>Green, R. (1989).\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.office.xerox.com\/latest\/COLFS-02UA.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Persuasive Properties of Color<\/a>, Marketing Communications.\r\n\r\n<sup>[4]<\/sup> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cmo.com\/content\/dam\/CMO_Other\/ADI\/SocialIntelligenceReport_Q42013\/ADI_SocialIntelReport_Q413.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Social Intelligence Report<\/a>, Adobe Digital Index Q4 2013\r\n\r\n<sup>[5] <\/sup>Levie, W. J. &amp; Lentz, R. (1982).\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007%2FBF02765184\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Effects of text illustrations: A review of research<\/a>, Educational Communication and Technology.","rendered":"<h2>Why Use Visuals?<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1470\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4022\/2019\/02\/10143506\/19-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Think about the last time you asked for directions to a location. In addition to the directions of \u201cgo north\u201d or \u201cturn right on Main Street,\u201d if your directions included a map, then you know how helpful it is when you have a visual representation of information. A simple visual can take the place of many words. For example, the word \u201cSTOP\u201d is a fairly easy word, but a red light or octagonal sign removes the need for any words at all. The weather report shows you a rain cloud, and you grab your umbrella without a second thought. Often, your message can be more clearly understood by incorporating visuals, as visuals attract attention and engage your audience. Visuals make your communication noticeable.<\/p>\n<p>Many studies have been done on the impact of visuals, with results such as those below:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Only 70 percent of people reading labels on medicine containers understand the instructions when they are written in text form, but that understanding increases to 95 percent when the text is accompanied by images. <sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/li>\n<li>People follow written directions 323 percent better when images accompany instructions. <sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/li>\n<li>People are 80 percent more likely to engage with content when it features color visuals.<sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/li>\n<li>Facebook audiences are 651 percent more likely to engage with a post if it includes an image, compared with posts that don\u2019t.<sup class=\"footnote\">[4]<\/sup><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>From this, we know that visuals can make your communication easier to access and understand. But do they help you make a point, create a convincing message, or sell an idea?\u00a0 Yes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>When listening to an oral presentation, 50 percent of an audience may be persuaded by the language alone, but that number increases to 67 percent when the presentation features visuals. <sup class=\"footnote\">[5]<\/sup><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The following video emphasizes the importance of visual communication in business.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-1\" title=\"6 Ways Visual Communication Drives Business\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/N7sC-qaiKIQ?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Characteristics of Effective Visuals<\/h2>\n<p>Visuals need to adhere to all of the characteristics of effective communication, and particularly the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>clarity:<\/strong> visuals should be clear, clean, and simple<\/li>\n<li><strong>consistency:<\/strong> visuals should generally maintain a uniform look and feel within one presentation or document; visuals representing a company should maintain consistency with that company&#8217;s brand<\/li>\n<li><strong>relevancy:<\/strong> visuals should make sense as a part of the whole communication and clearly illustrate their concepts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There&#8217;s also an additional characteristic of effective visuals:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>persuasiveness<\/strong>: visuals should inspire increased understanding and, in some cases, an emotional bond with the content they enhance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Clarity<\/h3>\n<p>In general, clear visuals have:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>sharp images<\/strong> &#8211; There should be a sharp, clearly delineated focal point.\u00a0 Blurred images that are not intentional, and do not have a clear focal point, may be difficult to absorb.<\/li>\n<li><strong>appropriate colors<\/strong> &#8211; If you have a pie chart or a graph, it helps to use obviously contrasting colors (e.g., red, yellow, blue) for ease of reading (as opposed, for example, to making each piece is a different shade of green).\u00a0 Images that illustrate positive information may use bolder colors than images that illustrate more solemn information.\u00a0 Visuals that represent a company should adhere to that company&#8217;s color scheme.<\/li>\n<li><strong>easy-to-read fonts <\/strong>&#8211; Fancy lettering slows your reader down. Choose a font that\u2019s easy to read, such as one of the many discussed by author\u00a0John Wood in his blog for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.awai.com\/2011\/10\/the-best-fonts-to-use-in-print-online-and-email\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">American Writers &amp; Artists, Inc.<\/a>\u00a0website. In general, paper documents may use standard serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman), while online documents use sans serif fonts (e.g., Calibri, Ariel).<\/li>\n<li><strong>pertinent information<\/strong> &#8211; Include only information you need to highlight in the visual.\u00a0 For example, if the point of your communication is to show that sales have gone up 22 percent over last year, your graph should feature that information, and nothing about expenses, employee turnover, or gross margin, even if you intend to make points about those concepts later on.\u00a0 Confine one visual to one main concept.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Consistency<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1476 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4022\/2019\/02\/10170426\/34-300x194.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"194\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Maintain the same font, base colors, heading colors, and types of images throughout a presentation or written document.\u00a0 For example, this page on effective visual images looks lot like the other pages in this text. Uniformity helps an audience understand what to expect and better prepares them to engage with your message, especially if your message is delivered in a medium that uses a lot of print. (Note that for powerpoint presentations, maintain consistency in color and font, but not necessarily in slide layout, as current powerpoint trends have moved away from lock-step template consistency.)<\/p>\n<p>Consider the following characteristics that help create visual consistency in a communication:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Use the same type of visual for multiple representations of the same information. <\/strong>For example, if you start out with a bar chart showing annual sales, don\u2019t turn the same information into a line graph in the next section and a stacked bar chart in the section after that, as different representations of the same information tend to confuse an audience. Keep in mind that if you found the best visual scheme to explain the data in the first place, there\u2019s no reason to change it for the sake of variety.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Maintain a consistent color scheme and font type.<\/strong>\u00a0If you show sales on your graphs in red, always show them in red. If you\u2019ve chosen one easy-to-read font for all your slides, there\u2019s no need to deviate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use images that are visually similar.<\/strong> For example, if you\u2019re using photos that depict real people, inserting a pencil drawing of a person may be jarring. If you&#8217;re using a series of head shots, the heads should all be about the same size. If four of the pictures show a person\u2019s head and shoulders, the fifth one should not show a person standing up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Relevancy<\/h3>\n<p>Visuals should relate to and enhance your main concepts.\u00a0 For example, if your main point relates to annual sales, your charts and graphs should not deal with employee turnover rates. If your presentation is about your company\u2019s efforts to reduce waste, that presentation would not likely feature a photograph of flowers. That\u2019s relevancy at a very basic level.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1473 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4022\/2019\/02\/10164854\/26-281x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"281\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Keeping communication \u201con brand\u201d takes relevancy to a whole new level. Companies rely on visual media as much as the written word to deliver their brand message and, as a communicator, you need to keep your choice of visual elements relevant to your company\u2019s brand.\u00a0 For example, if you ever visit\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.target.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Target<\/a>\u2019s website, you may notice there\u2019s a whole lot of red. Target has a series of colors and images that coincide with the way they identify themselves as a company and the promises they make to their customers. You see a lot of crisp clean backgrounds with vivid pictures showing style and value\u2014and a lot of red fonts and bulls eyes. As another example, <a href=\"https:\/\/disneyworld.disney.go.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Disney<\/a> photos always depict happy families interacting with characters and enjoying the entertainment.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Persuasiveness<\/h3>\n<p>Your visuals should help you tell your story. Even if your data is persuasive, language is aided by visual representation. Images, charts, videos, or any visual will enhance both audience understanding and retention of information.\u00a0 For maximum persuasiveness, make sure that your visuals are easy to understand and from reliable sources. If you\u2019re communicating in aid of a cause, you may want to choose an image that invokes some emotion, without being too blatant. This doesn\u2019t mean that you should sacrifice objectivity when you persuade through visuals. Your communication strategy on the whole is an engagement tool, and your choice of visuals should strengthen that engagement.<\/p>\n<h3>Summary<\/h3>\n<p>The following video offers a good review of concepts related to effective visuals.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-2\" title=\"Visual Communication: The Power of Images\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6frZzURDLTE?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The following video discusses basics strategies related to using images in your communications.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-3\" title=\"Beginning Graphic Design: Images\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MELKuexR3sQ?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Making Visuals Accessible<\/h2>\n<p>Consider all of your audience members&#8217; needs when creating visuals, from paper handouts to presentation slides to writing on a flip chart. The American Psychological Association&#8217;s page on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apa.org\/pi\/disability\/resources\/convention\/index\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Accessibility Guidelines for Speakers<\/a> contains a useful overview of strategies to consider.\u00a0 Other useful overviews are DO-IT&#8217;s page on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washington.edu\/doit\/how-can-you-make-your-presentation-accessible\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How can you make your presentation accessible?<\/a> and Ravenhall&#8217;s article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smashingmagazine.com\/2018\/11\/inclusive-design-accessible-presentations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Inclusive Design for Accessible Presentations<\/a>, among many others.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few quick tips for accessibility:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>use larger type so that text can be easily viewed and read<\/li>\n<li>do not use color only as a means of conveying information (so that printed versions in black and white make sense)<\/li>\n<li>provide a text alternative for non-text material, including images and videos, as automatic captioning and screen readers do not always work well, especially for charts and graphs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The point here is that, especially if you have a large viewing or reading audience and don&#8217;t know members&#8217; needs, you should be aware of accessibility strategies, which actually can help all members of your audience.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s an example of how a screen reader reads automatically reads a graph &#8211; you can see how inaccessible it makes the visual communication.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-4\" title=\"JAWS reading graphs\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/51olpSqhSuk?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Using Visuals Ethically<\/h2>\n<p>As a final note, make sure that you use images that are licensed for public use.\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pixabay.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pixabay<\/a> is one good source of free images with no rights reserved, and there are other similar sites with free, usable images.\u00a0 Check other images for <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Creative Commons<\/a> licensing, and understand the different terms of use for the different licenses. Check YouTube videos to see if they are copyrighted or available to use.\u00a0 Avoid the temptation of using what you find through a quick google search, in favor of using visuals that have been created for public use.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1491\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4022\/2019\/02\/11152907\/44-300x104.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"104\" \/><br \/>\n<span id=\"attribution\" class=\"photo_usage-attribution\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/23956833@N00\/3358104892\">&#8220;Licenza Creative Commons by-nc-nd&#8221;<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/23956833@N00\">lordcima<\/a>\u00a0is licensed under\u00a0<a class=\"photo_license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/2.0\/?ref=ccsearch&amp;atype=rich\">CC BY-NC-ND 2.0\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><sup>[1] <\/sup>Dowse, R. &amp; Ehlers, M. (2005).\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/15950838\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Medicine labels incorporating pictograms: Do they influence understanding and adherence?<\/a>, Patient Education and Counseling, Vol 58, Issue 1.<\/p>\n<p><sup>[2] <\/sup>University of\u00a0 New Hampshire. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aucd.org\/docs\/webinars\/Infographics.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How Infographics Can Enhance Your Communications Strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><sup>[3] <\/sup>Green, R. (1989).\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.office.xerox.com\/latest\/COLFS-02UA.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Persuasive Properties of Color<\/a>, Marketing Communications.<\/p>\n<p><sup>[4]<\/sup> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cmo.com\/content\/dam\/CMO_Other\/ADI\/SocialIntelligenceReport_Q42013\/ADI_SocialIntelReport_Q413.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Social Intelligence Report<\/a>, Adobe Digital Index Q4 2013<\/p>\n<p><sup>[5] <\/sup>Levie, W. J. &amp; Lentz, R. (1982).\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007%2FBF02765184\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Effects of text illustrations: A review of research<\/a>, Educational Communication and Technology.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-143\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>some original content and content adapted from Business Communication Skills for Managers; attributions below. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Susan Oaks. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Communications for Professionals. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Why It Matters:  Visual Media. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Freedom Learning Group. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs\/chapter\/why-it-matters-visual-media\/\">https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs\/chapter\/why-it-matters-visual-media\/<\/a>. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Business Communication Skills for Managers. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Media and Your Message. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Freedom Learning Group. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs\/chapter\/media-and-your-message\/\">https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs\/chapter\/media-and-your-message\/<\/a>. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Business Communication Skills for Managers. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>image of business person holding a visual illustrating the concept of innovation. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: jarmoluk. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Pixabay. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/photos\/innovation-business-information-561388\/\">https:\/\/pixabay.com\/photos\/innovation-business-information-561388\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/cc0\">CC0: No Rights Reserved<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>image of Scrabble tiles spelling Audience-Relevant-Content. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: isi159. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Pixabay. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/photos\/audience-relevant-content-target-2471232\/\">https:\/\/pixabay.com\/photos\/audience-relevant-content-target-2471232\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/cc0\">CC0: No Rights Reserved<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>image of pencils in a row, all the same height. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: padrinan. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Pixabay. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/photos\/green-art-wood-sharp-pencil-group-1738220\/\">https:\/\/pixabay.com\/photos\/green-art-wood-sharp-pencil-group-1738220\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/cc0\">CC0: No Rights Reserved<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>video 6 Ways Visual Communication Drives Business. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Kristin Ellison. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: LinkedIn Learning. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N7sC-qaiKIQ\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N7sC-qaiKIQ<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>Other<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: YouTube video<\/li><li>video Visual Communication: The Power of Images. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Andrew Akinyede. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6frZzURDLTE\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6frZzURDLTE<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>Other<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: YouTube video<\/li><li>Accessible Visual Aids. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs\/chapter\/accessible-visual-aids\/\">https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs\/chapter\/accessible-visual-aids\/<\/a>. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Business Communication Skills for Managers. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>video JAWS reading graphs. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Audrey Byrk. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=51olpSqhSuk&#038;feature=youtu.be\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=51olpSqhSuk&#038;feature=youtu.be<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>Other<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: YouTube video<\/li><li>image of one type of Creative Commons license. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: lordcima. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Creative Commons. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/search.creativecommons.org\/photos\/01de20c2-f48a-40f5-ae39-b27d7fff6243\">https:\/\/search.creativecommons.org\/photos\/01de20c2-f48a-40f5-ae39-b27d7fff6243<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives <\/a><\/em><\/li><li>video Beginning Graphic Design: Images. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: GCFLearnFree.org. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/MELKuexR3sQ\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/MELKuexR3sQ<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>Other<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: YouTube video<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":81366,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"some original content and content adapted from 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