1. Designing Clear Visuals
CHAPTER 10
Designing Clear Visuals
Philip C. Kolin
University of Southern Mississippi

2. The Purpose of Visuals
Visuals work in conjunction with your writing to inform, illustrate, and persuade. Here are several reasons why you should use visuals in your work:
Visuals arouse readers’ immediate interest.
Visuals increase readers’ understanding by simplifying concepts.
Visuals are especially important for non-native speakers of English and multicultural audiences.
Visuals emphasize key relationships.
Visuals condense and summarize a large quantity of information into a relatively small space.
Visuals are highly persuasive.

3. Choosing Effective Visuals
The following suggestions will help you to choose effective visuals:
Use visuals only when they are relevant for your purpose and audience.
Use visuals in conjunction with – not as a substitute for – written work.
Experiment with several visuals.
Always use easy-to-read and relevant visuals.
Be prepared to revise and edit your visuals.
Consider how your visuals will look on the page.

4. Ineffective Visuals: What Not to Do
Here are some guidelines on what to avoid with visuals:
Avoid visuals that include more details than your audience needs.
Never use a visual that distracts from your work.
Never distort a visual for emphasis or decoration.
Be careful that you don’t omit anything when you reproduce an existing visual.
Never use visuals that discriminate or stereotype.
Don’t use a visual that looks fuzzy, dotted, or streaked.

5. Inserting and Writing about Visuals
The following guidelines will help you identify, insert, introduce, and interpret visuals for your readers:
Identify your visuals. Give each visual a number and caption that explains what the visual illustrates.
Insert your visuals appropriately. Never insert a visual before a discussion of it, place visuals close to where they are mentioned, size appropriately, etc.
Introduce your visuals. Refer to each visual by number and if necessary mention the title as well.
Interpret your visuals. Help readers understand your visual and explain what is significant about it.

6. Two Categories of Visuals
Visuals can be divided into two categories – tables and figures. Expect to use both in your work.
Tables. Tables arrange information – numbers and/or words – in parallel columns or rows for easy comparison of data.
Figures. Figures include graphs, circle charts, bar charts, organizational chars, flow charts, pictographs, maps, photographs, and drawings.

7. Tables The parts of a table include:
Main column. A column that encompasses two or more sub- columns.
Sub-columns. Columns which together gather the information described in the main column.
Stub. The first vertical column on the left side.
Rule. Line across the top of the table the separates the headings from the body of the table.
When using tables, number the tables in the order they are discussed, give each table a title, list items in a logical order, round off numbers to the nearest whole number, etc.

8. Table

9. Figures Types of figures include:
Graphs. Figures that transform numbers into rising and falling lines or shaded areas to show changes over time.
Circle charts (pie charts). Circular charts that divide numerical data into percentages, each represented by a piece of the “pie.”
Bar charts. Charts that consist of vertical or horizontal bars designed to compare data.
Organizational charts. Charts that show the chain of command within an organization.
Flow charts. Charts that demonstrate the stages in which something is manufactured or accomplished.

10. Figure

11. Figures (continued)‏
Pictographs. Charts that use picture symbols to represent differences in statistical data.
Maps. Representations of roads and/or specific geographical features.
Photographs. A photograph’s chief virtues are realism and clarity.
Drawings. Types of drawings often used as figures include cutaway drawings, exploded drawings, and clip art.

12. Graphs
The three types of graphs are simple line graphs (a single line represents change over time), multiple-line graphs (multiple lines represent change over time and comparison between lines), and area graphs (change over time is represented by shaded areas rather than lines).
Keep the following guidelines in mind when creating graphs:
Use no more than three lines in a multiple-line graph so readers can interpret the information more easily.
Label each line to identify what it represents for readers.

13. Graphs (continued)‏
Label each line to identify what it represents for readers.
Keep each line distinct in a multiple-line graph by using different colors, dots or dashes, or symbols.
Make you plot enough points to show a reasonable and ethical range of data.
Keep the scale consistent and realistic.
For some graphs, there is no need to begin with a zero.

14. Simple Line and Multiple Line Graph

15. Area or Multiband Graph

16. Circle Charts Follow these rules to create and present circle charts:
Keep your circle chart simple.
Do not divide a circle, or pie, into too few or too many slices.
Make sure the individual slices total 100 percent, or 360 degrees.
Put the largest slice first, at the 12 o’clock position, then move clockwise with proportionately smaller slices.
Label each slice of the pie horizontally.
Shade, color, or cross-hatch slices of the pie to further separate and distinguish the parts.
Give percentages for each slice to further assist readers.

17. Circle or Pie Chart

18. Bar Charts, Organizational Charts, and Flow Charts
The three types of bar charts are simple bar charts (bar charts that use single bars for each data period), multiple- bar charts (bar charts that use multiple bars for each data period and comparison between bars), and segmented bar charts (bar charts in which individual bars are divided into parts rather than represented by multiple bars).
Organizational charts use interconnected boxes to show the chain of command and the relationship between personnel at a company or agency.
Flow charts use interconnected boxes to show the stages in a process and the relationship between parts of the process.

19. Simple and Multiple Bar Chart

20. Segmented and Multiple Segmented Bar Chart

21. Flow Chart

22. Organizational Chart

23. Pictographs
Similar to bar charts, pictographs use picture symbols to compare statistical data (rather than bars). When using a pictograph:
Choose an appropriate, easily-identifiable symbol for the topic.
Indicate the precise quantities each icon represents by placing numbers after or at the top of the visual.
Increase the number of symbols rather than their sizes because differences in sizes are often difficult to construct or interpret.
Avoid crowding too much information into a pictograph.

24. Segmented and Multiple Segmented Bar Chart

25. Maps
Maps can be as simple or as complex as you need them to be for your purpose. Follow these steps when you create a map:
Always acknowledge your source if you did not construct the map yourself.
Use dots, lines, colors, symbols, and shading to indicate features.
If necessary, include a legend, or map key, explaining dotted lines, colors, shading, and symbols.
Exclude features that do not directly relate to your topic,
Indicate direction.

26. Map

27. Photographs
Use special care when you take photographs with either a traditional or digital camera. Observe the following guidelines:
Take the photo from the most appropriate distance.
Provide a sense of scale.
Select the correct angle.
Include only the details that are necessary and relevant for your purpose.
Make sure you consider lighting and resolution.
Obtain permission.

28. Photographs

29. Drawings
The three most common types of drawings used as figures are cutaway drawings (drawings that reveal the interior of an object), exploded drawings (drawings that separate the parts from an object as if exploded to show how the parts interrelate), and clip art (ready to use simple drawings or photographs available online or in your word-processor). When using a cutaway or exploded drawing:
Keep your drawing simple.
Clearly label all parts so that your reader can identify and separate them.
Decide on the most appropriate view of the object you want to illustrate.

30. Drawings (continued)‏
Keep the parts of the drawing proportionate unless you are purposely enlarging one section.
When you use clip art, follow these guidelines:
Use simple,easy-to-understand images.
Use clip art functionally.
Make sure the clip art is relevant for your audience and your message.
Make sure your clip art is professional.

31. Drawings

32. Cutaway Drawing

33. Exploded Drawing

34. Using Visuals Ethically
To ensure that your visuals are ethical, they must be accurate, honest, complete, appropriate, easy to read, clearly labeled, uncluttered, and consistent with convention. Observe these guidelines:
Photos. Do not distort, replace, or doctor a photo, or take a photo of an object or person without permission.
Graphs. Do not distort a graph, rearrange chronological sequence, switch the information on each axis, or make invalid predictions not backed up by the data.

35. Using Visuals Ethically (continued)‏
Bar charts. Don’t distort using color or shading, leave out time period that should be included, or misrepresent the height of each bar.
Pie charts. Don’t use 3D to distort thickness of segments, don’t conceal negative information, and make sure percentages match the size of each segment.
Drawings. Avoid clutter that hides features, label parts correctly, do not omit or shadow parts that should be visible, and always draw an object accurately.

36. Using Appropriate Visuals for International Audiences
To communicate appropriately and respectfully with international readers through visuals and other graphics:
Do not use any images that ethnically or racially stereotype your readers.
Be respectful of religious symbols and images.
Avoid using culturally insensitive or objectionable photographs.
Be cautious about using images/photos involving hand gestures.
Avoid any clip art that international readers would misunderstand.
Be careful about using directional signs and shapes.
Don’t offend international readers by using colors that are culturally inappropriate.