Technically trained professionals often get wrapped up in things like visualization, which distracts us from our mission. Our mission is to provide information to decision makers, and technical professionals are trusted advisors. So, most of our graphics, visuals, and videos should be informational. The I in FINESSE stands for Illustrate. Illustrate includes all the visuals, graphics, videos, and other media used in technical reports and presentations. These three tips and a short video provide focused examples.
Tables Are More Effective Than Graphs
Graphs are simply a concise method for depicting large amounts of data. A table will suffice in most cases because the data is not large or complex. The rule is always to use a table and sometimes use a graph.
Why Tables Are More Effective Than Graphs in Business Communication
Use Shapes Correctly
Using shapes to distort and deceive comparisons is an old trick frequently used for manipulation by one side of an argument. As a trusted advisor, be careful when using a two-dimensional shape to depict a single-dimension measurement such as dollars, number of occurrences, height, or weight. Use a bar chart with a fixed-width bar as a better, less deceiving option.
Beware of Deception When Using Shapes for Data Visualization
Show the Entire Axis
The broken vertical axis is used more often than you think. It is usually related to a controversial topic where one side is looking to manipulate the receiver’s perception to obtain an advantage. Once caught, you are finished as a trusted advisor to a decision maker. Avoid the broken axis.
How The Broken Vertical Axis Ruins Your Credibility
Check Out the Video
We provide the foundations of Illustrate in this 3-minute video.
The I in FINESSE Creates Effective Communication
The I in the FINESSE fishbone diagram stands for Illustrate. Do you have an approach for communicating big issues with high complexity and uncertainty? Are you Communicating with FINESSE?
Communicating with FINESSE is a not-for-profit community of technical professionals dedicated to being highly effective communicators and facilitators. Learn more about our publications, webinars, and workshops. Join the community for free.
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