Visuals Assignment

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Technical Communication, 13th Edition John M. Lannon Laura J. Gurak

Chapter 12
Designing Visual Information

Require at least one visual for each document (except memos or letters), placed as close

as possible to the first reference to it in the text. Sometimes a student feels that a visual

would work well, but is incapable of producing it (e.g., a photograph or complex line

drawing). In these cases, have the student leave space in the report text for that visual

(numbered, titled, and labeled), with a rough sketch (if possible) and an art brief (textbook

page 272) describing the visual that would appear in that location.

Students can do General Project 1 at home and bring in the completed work for small-group

workshops or for full-class workshops, showing selected samples on the document camera.

Emphasize that visuals should clarify, not clutter, a message. All parts should be labeled

clearly, and the figure or table should be accompanied by a prose interpretation and discussion

that does not simply summarize the contents. Although visuals are an excellent medium

for compressing and organizing data, students need to realize that presenting the reader

with raw data is not enough—unless of course that is what the reader wants. The implications

of the data must be discussed. Sample documents throughout the text have good visuals,

which both complement and are complemented by prose discussion and interpretation.

Learning Objectives

Understand the role of visuals in technical communication

Determine when to use visuals

Select the right visuals for your readers

Create tables, graphs, charts, illustrations, photographs, and videos

Increase visual appeal by using color appropriately

Learning Objectives (continued)

Identify ethical issues when using visuals

Understand how cultural considerations affect your choice of visuals

Visuals

Because they focus and organize information, visuals make data easier to interpret and remember.

By offering new ways of looking at data, visuals reveal meanings that might otherwise remain buried in lists of facts and figures.

Readers want more than just raw information; they want this material shaped and enhanced so they can understand the message at a glance.

Why Visuals Matter

Visuals help us to answer questions like:

Which information is most important?

Where, exactly, should I focus?

What do these numbers mean?

What should I be thinking or doing?

What should I remember about this?

What does it look like?

How is it organized?

How is it done?

How does it work?

When to Use Visuals

Use visuals whenever they can make your point more clearly than text or when they can enhance your text.

Use visuals to clarify and support your discussion, not just to decorate your document.

Use visuals to direct the audience’s focus or help them remember something.

Types of Visuals

Visuals come in four categories: tables, graphs, charts, and graphic illustrations.

Tables: Display organized data across columns and rows for easy comparison.

Graphs: Translate numbers into shapes, shades, and patterns.

Charts: Depict relationships via geometric, arrows, lines, and other design elements.

Graphic Illustrations: Rely on pictures rather than on data or words.

How to Choose the Right Visuals

To select the most effective display, answer these questions:

What is the purpose for using this visual: Do I
want to show facts and figures? Show parts of a mechanism? Give directions? Show relationships?

Who is my audience for these visuals: Is it an expert audience? A general audience? A global audience?

What form of information will best achieve my purpose for this audience: Is my message best conveyed by numbers? Words? Shapes? Pictures? Symbols?

Tables

Tables display dense textual information such as specifications or comparisons.

1. Numerical tables present quantitative
information (data that can be measured).

2. Prose tables present qualitative
information (prose descriptions, explanations,
or instructions).

Graphs

Graphs translate numbers into shapes, shades, and patterns. They display, at a glance, the approximate values, the point being made about those values, and the relationship being emphasized.

Graphs are especially useful for depicting comparisons, changes over time, patterns,
or trends.

Graphs (continued)

1. Bar graphs: Show discrete comparisons,
such as year-by-year or month-by-month.

A simple bar graph displays one trend or theme.
A multiple bar graph displays two or three relationships simultaneously.

Graphs (continued)

A horizontal-bar graph is good for displaying a large series of bars arranged in order of increasing or decreasing value.

Graphs (continued)

A stacked bar graph shows how much each data set contributes to the whole.

Graphs (continued)

A 100 Percent bar graph shows the value of each part that makes up the 100 percent value.

Graphs (continued)

A 3D bar graph shows a three-dimensional view.

Graphs (continued)

2. Line graphs: Help readers synthesize
large bodies of information in which exact
quantities don’t need to be emphasized.

A simple line graph plots time intervals (or
categories) on the horizontal scale and values
on the vertical scale. A multiline graph displays
several relationships simultaneously.

Graphs (continued)

A deviation line graph extends the vertical scale below the zero baseline to display positive and negative values in one graph.

Graphs (continued)

A simple band or area graph shades in the area beneath the main plot lines to highlight specific information.

Graphs (continued)

A multiple band graph depicts relationships among sums instead of the direct comparisons.

Charts

The terms chart and graph often are used interchangeably.

However, charts, unlike graphs, display relationships (quantitative or cause-and-effect) that are not plotted on a coordinate system (x and y axes).

Charts (continued)

1. Pie charts: Display the relationship of parts
or percentages to the whole.

A simple pie chart simply shows the relationship
of parts to the whole. An exploded pie chart
highlights various slices:

Charts (continued)

2. Organization charts: Show the hierarchy
and relationships between different departments
and other units in an organization.

Charts (continued)

3. Flowcharts: Trace procedures or processes
from beginning to end.

4. Tree charts: Show how the parts of an idea
or concept are related.

Charts (continued)

5. Gantt charts: Depict how the parts of an
idea or concept relate. A series of bars or
lines (time lines) indicates start-up and
completion dates for each phase or task in
a project.

6. PERT charts: Use shapes and arrows to
outline a project’s main activities and events.

Charts (continued)

7. Pictograms: Display numerical data by
plotting it across x and y axes, and use icons,
symbols, or other graphic devices.

Graphic Illustrations

Illustrations can be diagrams, maps, drawings, icons, photographs, or any other visual that relies mainly on pictures rather than on data or words.

Avoid using illustrations simply to decorate the page. Each illustration you use should serve a specific purpose.

Graphic Illustrations (continued)

1. Diagrams: Illustrate how things work or fit
together by altering their real appearance.

An exploded diagram shows how the parts of an
item are assembled. A cutaway diagram shows
the item with its exterior layers removed to reveal
interior sections. A block diagram represents the
relationship between the parts of an item, principle,
system, or process.

Graphic Illustrations (continued)

2. Maps: Are especially useful for showing
comparisons and for helping users visualize
position, location, and relationships among
various data.

Graphic Illustrations (continued)

3. Photographs: Are especially useful for
showing exactly how something looks or how
something is done.

4. Videos: Are particularly useful to show how
to do something from start to beginning.

5. Symbols and Icons: Can convey information
visually to a wide range of audiences.

Using Color

Consider using color not only in your visuals, but also within the text of a document in order to:

Organize textual material (color rules and color background)

Orient readers (color headings, tabs, boxes, and sidebars)

Emphasize information (color key words, cross references, Web links, and text borders)

Ethical Considerations

Because visuals are easy to manipulate, be especially careful about using visuals ethically.

Present the real picture. Visual relationships in a graph should accurately portray the numerical relationships they represent. Do not distort sizes, angles, lengths, widths, or anything else to mislead the viewer.

Present the complete picture. An accurate visual should include all essential data, without selectively omitting important data.

Cultural Considerations

Visual communication can serve as a universal language—as long as the graphic
or image is not misinterpreted.

The use of color is an especially important cultural consideration: For instance, U.S. audiences associate red with danger and green with safety. But these colors represent different things in other cultures.

Review Questions

1. Why is using visuals in technical
communication important?

2. When should you use visuals?

3. What are the four categories of visuals, and
what does each do?

4. What three questions should you ask yourself
when you are deciding which type of visual to
use?

5. What are the two types of tables, and what
kind of information does each type present?

Answers

1. Because they focus and organize information, visuals make data easier to interpret and remember.

2. Use visuals whenever they can make your point more clearly than text or when they can enhance your text. Use visuals to clarify and support your discussion, not just to decorate your document. Use visuals to direct the audience’s focus or help them remember something.

3. Tables display organized data across columns and rows for easy comparison. Graphs translate numbers into shapes, shades, and patterns. Charts depict relationships via geometric, arrows, lines, and other design elements. Graphic Illustrations rely on pictures rather than on data or words.

4. What is the purpose for using this visual? Who is my audience for these visuals? What form of information will best achieve my purpose for this audience?

5. Numerical tables present quantitative information. Prose tables present qualitative information.

Review Questions (continued)

6. What are the two most common types of bar
graphs, and what is the function of each type?

7. What are the two most common types of line
graphs, and what is the function of each type?

8. What are the two types of pie charts, and
what is the function of each type?

9. What are the three most common types of
diagrams, and what do they show?

10. In what ways does color enhance any
technical document?

Answers (continued)

6. A simple bar graph displays one trend or theme. A multiple bar graph displays two or three relationships simultaneously.

7. A simple line graph plots time intervals (or categories) on the horizontal scale and values on the vertical scale. A multiline graph displays several relationships simultaneously.

8. A simple pie chart simply shows the relationship of parts to the whole. An exploded pie chart highlights various slices.

9. An exploded diagram shows how the parts of an item are assembled. A cutaway diagram shows the item with its exterior layers removed to reveal interior sections. A block diagram represents the relationship between the parts of an item, principle, system, or process.

10. It organizes textual material, orients readers, and emphasizes information.