Visual Design

When deciding whether or not to use a table, consider that tables supplying too much data are not effective. Tables put datasets in conversation. If you have too many conversations—too many data-sets—in a table, your audience will lose track of what’s being said.

Also, make sure that the information displayed is clearly labeled both within the table and in the caption. Without proper labeling, tables are just a meaningless assortment of letters and numbers.

Graphs

Graphs allow you to display the relationships and interactions be-tween multiple variables. Graphs have horizontal and vertical axes that display these variables: the horizontal axis (x-axis) displays the categories to be compared (independent variables), and the vertical axis (y-axis) acts as a baseline, displaying the range of values for comparison (dependent variables) or a measure of the categories.

As with tables, graphs need to be titled, captioned, and cited (if applicable). The name of a graph should be “Figure 1,” or whatever number is next in sequence, so that you can refer to the information within your document. The two most common types of graphs are line graphs and bar graphs.

Line Graphs

 Line graphs typically display the relation between variables over time. In Figure 19, notice that the x-axis is in years. Time is a common set of independent variables against which the dependent variables on the y-axis are compared. Line graphs generally do not display exact values very well. The audience must estimate the exact values by approximating the position of the line on the x- and y-axes at a given point. However, line graphs display trends in the data over time (or other independent variables) more effectively than bar graphs.

Bar Graphs

Bar graphs display the values of multiple variables and are well-suited for comparing variables to each other along an axis of independent variables (See Figure 20). Like line graphs, the exact values at specific points on the bars must be estimated, but bar graphs effectively represent comparisons between groups or be-tween groups over another variable, like time.

Keep in mind that there are many line and bar graph formats and styles to choose from. The right one for your document depends on the variables you need to represent and the desired appearance of the graph.

When designing pie charts, you also need to consider color and texture. The effectiveness of the visualization depends on the ability of your audience to easily identify parts of the whole. Consider whether the pie chart will be printed in black and white or color, and whether you will need to add texture or grayscale to ensure that all pieces of the pie are clearly visible.

Effective pie charts should:

• Display the exact percentages for each segment
• Add up to 100%
• Include at least two segments (charts may become overly complex if you include too many segments).

Organizational Charts

Organizational charts divide things, such as organizations, into multiple parts of the whole, however, unlike pie charts, the organizational chart can show relationships between the parts. For a typical business setting, the top of an organizational chart would contain the president or CEO of a company, and the bottom would contain the lowest level employees, displaying a hierarchical structure (See Figure 22).

Flowcharts

Flowcharts typically describe a process from start to finish, accurately displaying things such as algorithms and workflows (See Figure 23). You probably have seen many of these throughout your lives.

Flowcharts are frequently used to display multiple possible decisions and outcomes as part of a process. A flowchart is deterministic or causal—that is, the choice made determines the response.

Gantt Chart

Gantt charts are used to display a process as a function of time. Gantt charts map out the total amount of time to be spent on a process or project, and then break that time up into segments that visualize specific tasks to be completed during specific time periods along the project timeline. This type of chart displays the steps needed to complete a project, allocates the amount of time needed to complete each step, and represents both concurrent and consecutive tasks. Gantt charts are useful in project management and proposals. If you have used Google Calendar or a similar digital calendar system, then you have turned your life into a Gantt chart.

If you’re not sure where you could incorporate a figure, remember that charts and graphs are just another way of presenting the same data that is presented in tables. The advantage of graphs and charts is that they are more dramatic and interesting; however, this strength may come at the cost of detail or precision, where tables excel. Imagine the difference between a table of sales figures for a ten-year period and a line graph for that same data. In the graph, you get a better sense of the overall trend but not of the precise dollar amount.

Illustrations, Diagrams, and Photos

To depict objects, places, people, and the relationships between them, you can use photos, drawings, diagrams, and schematics.

Major types of illustrations and photographs run from minimal to maximal detail. A simple line drawing of how to graft a fruit tree reduces the detail to simple lines representing the hands, the tools, the graft stock, and the graft. Diagrams are more abstract, schematic views of things; for example, a diagram of a car engine hardly resembles the actual physical thing at all.

Illustrations

Illustrations allow you to show your audience representations or depictions of places or objects. By using illustrations in your documents, the audience can better understand the relationship between the appearance and information. For example, a labeled illustration of a locomotive would identify the parts of the locomotive as demonstrated in Figure 25.

Types and Placement of Callouts

Callouts typically take one of three different forms:

1. They may be placed directly on the graphic (whereby they become part of the visual),
2. They may be placed around the graphic near lines that point to the relevant element in the graphic, or
3. They may include links or hotspots where more information about the element is displayed on mouse rollover or on another page. The visuals below feature two of the three major label types.

Callouts are best used when many parts of the image need to be labeled, and each part requires a longer explanation. In fact, the label sequence may be in alphabetical or numerical order as shown in the example below. Ensure that the explanation is near the graphic.

Diagrams

Diagrams and illustrations are a great way to give readers a big picture layout of devices, parts, and components. The more visuals you include, the fewer words you have to use. They are also especially good at breaking down hard-to-see or hidden elements, like the wiring schematic of a car.

Here’s an example diagram of an analog mixer (Figure 27), an extremely complex machine with lots of hookups, plugs, and doodads. This great diagram clearly shows what those plugs do:

Not all diagrams are effective. Often bad diagrams can outnumber the good ones. Most of the time diagrams fall short because they are not descriptive enough, poorly rendered, too cluttered or do not have enough written explanation. For example, see Figure 28. How would you explain what’s going on here?

A diagram with too little information, like one with too much information, is not helpful to your audience.

Photographs

Photographs, of course, provide the most detail of all. These graphics, supplying gradations of detail as they do, have their varying uses. Here are some examples:

• In instructions, simple drawings (often called line drawings because they use just lines, without other detail such as shading) are the most common. They simplify the situation and the objects so that the reader can focus on the key details.
• In descriptions, you would want to use drawings, but in this case drawings with more detail, such as shading and depth perspectives.
• In feasibility, recommendation, and evaluation reports, photographs are often used. For example, if you are recommending a photocopier, you might want to include photos of the leading contenders.

Basic Guidelines: A Review

• Break up text or consolidate it into meaningful, usable chunks. For non- specialist readers, you will likely construct shorter paragraphs of around six to eight lines. Technical documents written for specialists will include much longer paragraphs.
• Use headings and lists. Readers can be intimidated by dense paragraphs of writing.

(Technical writers may refer to a long paragraph that is difficult to scan as “a wall of prose.”) Incorporate headings whenever possible—for example, when a topic or subtopic is introduced. Also search your document for written lists that can be made into vertical lists. Look for paired listings such as terms and their definitions; these can become two-column lists.

• Use special typography. Typically, sans-serif fonts, such as Ariel, are useful for online readers. Serif fonts, such as Time New Roman, are useful for print texts.
• Work with margins, line length, line spacing, type size, and type style. For non-specialist readers, you can increase readability by making the lines shorter (adjusting the margins) and using larger type sizes.
• Include bullet points. Long lists can often be broken down into smaller bulleted chunks of information for ease of reading. Some genres, like the résumé, place the emphasis on bulleted phrases rather than complete sentences. When using bullet points, keep in mind the following:
  • o Use a lead-in to introduce the list items and to indicate the meaning or purpose of the list (and punctuate it with a colon).
  • o Check spacing, indentation, punctuation, and caps to ensure
  • o Make list items parallel in
  • o Confirm that each item in the list is parallel and grammatically
  • o Avoid overusing lists; using too many lists destroys their effectiveness
  • o Use similar types of lists consistently within the same
• Strive for balance and parallelism among elements. Keep in mind that items at the top of a document weigh more than those at the bottom, while items on the right side of the page weigh more than those on the left. Text and graphics should work together to create a sense of balance and unity.

In summary, while these basic guidelines may be applied to many different documents, the individual decisions you make will depend on your audience, or who will read your report. From content and language to layout, every aspect of your communication must keep your readers’ needs in mind.

Preparing Readers for Graphics

Using graphics, charts, tables, diagrams and other visuals can help the reader understand complex information. Visuals should clarify, illustrate, and augment your written text but should not ever be a replacement for your text.