Visualisation | verb, noun
The act of creating an image to represent information in a way that makes it easier to understand, or an example of such an image.
Visualisation
verb, noun
The act of creating an image to represent information in a way that makes it easier to understand, or an example of such an image.
Why use visualisation?
The short answer can be found in the dictionary:
Visualisation | verb, noun
The act of creating an image to represent information in a way that makes it easier to understand, or an example of such an image.
Read on for some rationale that expands on that…
The history
Perhaps for as long as 164,000 years, our ancestors have been mark-makers — their earliest known examples being abstract patterns scratched into stone. Then, around 40,000 years ago, a sea change occurred — they began to draw figuratively, creating images to communicate messages and bring their stories to life.
Source: Smithsonian Magazine
The history
Since at least 35,000 years ago, our ancestors have scratched, carved, drawn and painted figurative images to share messages and bring their stories to life.
Source: Smithsonian Museum
The science
We have evolved to understand the world visually. Almost 50% of our brain function is involved in visual processing. We’re hard-wired visual thinkers.
Source: University of Rochester
Images vs words — simple
If all that talk of how great images are makes it sound like words are the enemy of understanding, then it shouldn’t. Words are very much the Yin to images’ Yang and are often better for clarification and defining specifics.
<images overcome the language barrier>
These examples show that, for simple messages, either words or images alone will do a great job.
Images vs words — complex
The same applies to today’s more complex messaging. But when it comes to more complex messaging, like explaining how to assemble flat-pack furniture, images cut through the confusion, communicating more effectively than any number of words could hope to do… and in a fraction of the time.
Summary
When it comes to understanding multifaceted complex scenarios (like, say, corporate strategies), mapping them visually helps hugely with understanding. By contrast, remember that last presentation deck you saw and how all those bullet points worked together to create a cohesive story? I didn’t think so.
Mapping all the elements of a scenario onto a single page means they all appear in our field of vision simultaneously, enabling our brains to consider them working as a unified whole. We can then start joining the dots without having to rely on recall — something our brains struggle with even after very little complexity has arisen.
Images can make the abstract, tangible, and the mysterious, obvious. Things like scale, proximity, colour and metaphor can be leveraged to associate or differentiate, compare or contrast, emphasise or downplay, and demonstrate cause and effect. When applied to strategy, these ‘strategy maps’ become powerful and highly engaging comms that often become the hub — or North Star — of strategy conversations thereafter.
How are strategy maps created?
It’s all about the process. In a nutshell, this is what it looks like:
1. Contact
First call or meeting to discuss viability based on the broad parameters of the job, including scope, timeline, budget etc.
30–60 MINS
2. Deep dive
Immersion session to analyse the brief in detail to gain a full understanding of the scope, goals and desired results, plus agree deliverables and a workflow and timeline.
2–4 HOURS
3. Create
From initial creative concepts through to finished visual, this iterative process consists of design and review cycles (typically weekly) until the work is finished.
4–8 WEEKS
4. Launch
The timing of the launch is key to maximising the visual’s impact. If part of a wider campaign, consider how other events could distract from the visual’s rollout, and which could complement it.
What’s the end result?
<to follow>
