By Michelle Wandres

Do you consider yourself a visual learner? If the answer is ‘yes,’ you are in good company. In fact, 65% of the population identify as visual learners,[1] individuals who learn predominantly from visual reinforcements like videos or illustrations. For visual learners, images are easier for the brain to process than text. Even for others, the human brain is extremely efficient at processing images. In fact, human eyes can register 36,000 visual messages per hour (or 1 image every 13 milliseconds).[2] And most of us seek out that visual reinforcement. Over 80% of all information absorbed by the brain is visual in nature.[3]

But not all visual content is created equal. In this age of information overload, where we are inundated with a constant flow of information, our attention span is stretched thin. As a result, organizations need to work creatively to capture their audience’s attention. Since most people are visual learners, visual content is the most surefire way for an organization to engage with its target audience. Thoughtfully organized “information design” helps to increase the audience’s processing speed, absorption, and retention of content. The audience can retain more information when they can visualize ideas.  

Information design’s effectiveness relies on its ability to mirror the brain’s visual perception process. This requires a graphic designer to organize their design in a way that enables the human brain to make connections between the images and any memories or emotions the designer is trying to evoke. It’s not just about making items “look pretty”; a design’s elements must be meaningful and intentionally structured. When used correctly, this tool can help engage stakeholders throughout a change process—inspiring their participation, collaboration, and understanding.

With the right tools, any organization can leverage information design to tell an impactful story to their audience. However, the organization must be intentional about developing a product that works for its target audience. To do so, consider the following best practices:

• Understand the content and audience. The first step in the design process is to understand the target audience’s needs and wants. The designer will ask questions to determine what drives the fundamentals of the design and its audience. For example, a workflow might be more appropriate for helping a specific audience understand a detailed process than a text-heavy chart. Additionally, using infographics or illustrations can help the audience digest information faster and remember it longer.

• Connect the viewer to an image (and story) they can easily identify. Analogies to well-recognized stories within illustrations get information across faster by appealing to emotions and memory.

• Use colors to give visuals more emotional depth. In addition to evoking memories (think: the pinkish red of the last sunset you saw), different colors appeal to different emotions. For example, orange might evoke excitement while blue might evoke calmness. Color is especially important as it relates to branding: a University of Maryland study found that color increases brand recognition by 80%.[4]

• Format with intention. Good design and organized formatting help lead viewers’ eyes through documents, making the information easier to digest. Tools like pull quotes and sidebars, for instance, serve to help move the eye around the page and prioritize information based on its intake.

• Incorporate graphic design and graphic recording into your organization’s transformation effort. Graphic designers and graphic recorders create high-quality products that convey complex, detailed concepts in easy-to-understand illustrations or visualizations. For example, Rockwood often brings a graphic recorder into stakeholder meetings to capture the real-time flow of information and ideas between participants. This process enables participants to identify themes and make connections, unveiling potential risks of the effort they are discussing. Similarly, graphic designers combine various elements (e.g., color, shape, image, and words) to visually communicate the client’s message.

Rockwood integrates design into each of its deliverables, visually telling a story that the audience can easily digest and retain. Visualization tools like graphic design and graphic recording enable Rockwood to help clients process the nuances of complex systems faster, remember them longer, and understand concepts where words cannot clearly explain.

Sources:

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6513874/

[2] https://go.galegroup.com/

[3] Ibid.

[4] https://www.colorcom.com/research/why-color-matters