Professional Communication: The Corporate Insider’s Approach Chapter Four Arrangement: Ordering and Visualizing Business Information

4-2 Choices in Presentation The way in which we cause facts to have value is in the choices we make about their presentation.

4-3 Choices in Presentation Presentation involves: How we group facts How we present facts How clearly, efficiently, and accurately we portray facts

4-4 Organizing Rationales Definition Type/ Classification Status Summary Description Chronology Process Analysis Comparison/ Contrast Causality Interpretation Assessment Consequences

4-5 Graphics Are Useful... To describe a complex or new idea To present abstract structures To convey spatial relationships To provide a meaningful context for unfamiliar information To assist in attempts to solve problems To detail steps in a procedure To reinforce information provided in text

4-6 Bertin on Graphics Graphical depiction of information serves to help the audience with: Recording information Communicating information Processing information (Source: Jacques Bertin, Semiology of Graphics)

4-7 Key Attributes of Effective Graphics Efficiency Using the appropriate graphical format Emphasizing critical information Minimizing extreme decoration and distractions

4-8 Text, Table, or Graphic? Consider three factors: The amount of information The need to read versus the need to visualize pieces of data The relationship among the data

4-9 Key Attributes of Effective Graphics Legibility Using space effectively Providing clear and accurate labeling of all information necessary to comprehend the graph Making the data and data points clear

4-10 Key Attributes of Effective Graphics Accuracy Avoiding using images that are suggestive of impressions different from that supported by the actual data Ensuring the context of the data is clear and appropriate Establishing scales on the axes that are complementary to the information being presented

4-11 Outlining An outline helps ensure that each piece of text or graphic information will be targeted to: Contribute to achieving the purpose Be an efficient expression of how that purpose can be achieved Be a clear statement of ideas, assumption, supporting data, and conclusions Be an accurate and precise statement

4-12 Achieving Organization—The Lessons PlanGroup related materials Develop an outline Establish a progression of thoughts Apply appropriate organizing rationales

4-13 Achieving Organization—The Lessons DevelopUse outline structure to guide and build Consider where graphics will help Consider how main assertions can form headings, subtitles, and thesis sentences

4-14 Achieving Organization—The Lessons EvaluateUse audience perspective to check arrangement Assess balance among segments Reconsider where to use narrative versus graphics