Effective visuals
Effective online visual elements should be used on information-based websites:
1. to support or add value to plain language text
2. as part of planned information design whilst considering text and structure as part of one whole communication
3. to communicate simple concepts or components of complex concepts
4. consistently throughout a website and other communications
There is no single structure for online visual elements that can be adequately applied to all communications. However, there are some characteristics that we often find in effective visuals, i.e. they:
1. are simple, representing 1 or 2 concepts
2. use a comparison to create a reference point for the user
3. use colour sparingly but deliberately
4. do not involve stock photos that can distract the user from the main message
Effective online visuals lighten the cognitive load on users and make content more likely to be learned and retained in long term memory. It's not hard and is a skill that can be picked up with experience. Try it.
Here are some examples of effective online visuals that I've looked at in detail:
Example 1: Pump and dump
Example 2: Australia's tallest buildings
1. to support or add value to plain language text
2. as part of planned information design whilst considering text and structure as part of one whole communication
3. to communicate simple concepts or components of complex concepts
4. consistently throughout a website and other communications
There is no single structure for online visual elements that can be adequately applied to all communications. However, there are some characteristics that we often find in effective visuals, i.e. they:
1. are simple, representing 1 or 2 concepts
2. use a comparison to create a reference point for the user
3. use colour sparingly but deliberately
4. do not involve stock photos that can distract the user from the main message
Effective online visuals lighten the cognitive load on users and make content more likely to be learned and retained in long term memory. It's not hard and is a skill that can be picked up with experience. Try it.
Here are some examples of effective online visuals that I've looked at in detail:
Example 1: Pump and dump
Example 2: Australia's tallest buildings