Lecture Business and administrative communication: Chapter 16 - Kitty O. Locker, Donna S. Kienzler

Chapter 16 - Creating visuals and data displays. In this chapter, we will address the following questions: When to use visuals and data displays, how to create effective visuals and data displays, how to integrate visuals and data displays into text, how to use conventions for specific visuals and data displays.

Chapter 16 Creating Visuals and Data Displays Copyright © 2015 McGraw­Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw­Hill Education Chapter 16 Learning Objectives     LO 16-1 When to use visuals and data displays LO 16-2 How to create effective visuals and data displays LO 16-3 How to integrate visuals and data displays into text LO 16-4 How to use conventions for specific visuals and data displays 16­2 Visuals      Help make data meaningful Support arguments Help communicate points Enhance oral presentations Present numbers dramatically 16­3 Use Visuals To…      Present ideas completely Find relationships Make points vivid Emphasize material Present material concisely, with less repetition Every visual y r o t s a l l e t ld shou 16­4 Visual Design Guidelines Check quality of data Determine story you want to tell Choose visual that fits the story Follow conventions Use color and decoration with restraint Be accurate and ethical 16­5 1. Check Quality of Data Check data comes from reliable source  Check you have data for all factors you should consider  Do not use visuals of unreliable data  16­6 2. Determine Story You Want to  Tell Good stories may  Support a hunch you have  Surprise or challenge knowledge  Show unexpected trends or changes  Have commercial or social significance  Provide information needed for action  Be relevant to audience 16­7 2. Determine Story You Want to  Tell To find stories Focus on a topic Simplify the data on that topic and convert number to simple units Look for relationships and changes Process the data to find more stories 16­8 3. Choose the Right Visual for the  Story      Use tables when the audience needs exact values Use pie charts to show parts of a whole Use bar charts to compare items, show relationships Use paired charts to tell complex stories Use maps to emphasize location 16­9 3. Choose the Right Visual for the  Story Use photographs to create a sense of authenticity or show an item in use  Use drawings to show dimensions or emphasize detail  Use line charts to compare items over time, show frequency or distribution, or show correlations  Use Gantt charts to show timelines  16­10 4. Follow Conventions for Designing  Visuals Six Parts of Every Visual Title that tells story visual shows Clear indication of what data are Clearly labeled units Labels or legends identifying axes, colors, symbols, etc Source of data used to create visual Source of visual if not your work 16­11 5. Use Color and Decoration with  Restraint   Audiences interpret color based on contexts Color connotations vary among cultures and professions Red = go in China; stop in U.S  Blue = masculinity in U.S.; criminality in France; strength/fertility in Egypt    Use minimum shading and lines For B&W graphs, use shades of gray 16­12 6. Be Sure Visual is Accurate,  Ethical       Make sure audience does not have to study visual to learn main point Distinguish between actual and estimated or projected values Include the context of data Avoid perspective and 3-D graphs Avoid combining with multiple scales Use images that are bias-free 16­13 Integrating Visuals into Your Text Refer to every visual in your text  Refer to the table or figure number, not the title  Ex: Table 10 shows a detailed comparison…  Ex: Data in Figure reveals a marked trend of…   Put visual as soon after reference as space and page design permit  Ex: As Figure shows (page 10), …  Ex: (See Table on page 14.) 16­14 .. .Chapter? ?16? ?Learning Objectives     LO 1 6- 1 When to use visuals and data displays LO 1 6- 2 How to create effective visuals and data displays LO 1 6- 3 How to integrate visuals and data... between actual and estimated or projected values Include the context of data Avoid perspective and 3-D graphs Avoid combining with multiple scales Use images that are bias-free 16? ?13 Integrating Visuals into Your Text... LO 1 6- 3 How to integrate visuals and data displays into text LO 1 6- 4 How to use conventions for specific visuals and data displays 16? ?2 Visuals      Help make data meaningful Support arguments