Visualization plays a crucial role in the business environment and is considered a key tool for promoting change and strategy.
The information below relates to visualization in the B2B sector, for meetings and for strategic topics. It is therefore not about data visualization, infographics, creative visualization, illustration or graphic design.
At its core, visualization offers:
- A highly effective way to reach people.
- The opportunity to support transformation (e.g. cultural change or project efficiency).
- A holistic presentation (big picture) instead of a linear succession (PowerPoint).
- A simple presentation of complex ideas and concepts.
- An efficient way to share and present information.
- A “brain-friendly” medium based on our natural preference for visual content.
Visualization follows a few basic rules that ensure its effectiveness. We would like to introduce you to these basic rules in this blog post.
Goal-oriented visualizations: these basic rules of visualization must be observed
Visualization enables effective communication, promotes understanding, supports change and improves collaboration. Ideally, it contributes to impact and transformation. Certain basic rules must be followed to ensure that these results can be optimally achieved.
Clear why:
It’s not about the picture. Start by thinking about your goal – and don’t start with the picture. What do you want to achieve and why? The desired transformation (change impact) should be clear before starting or commissioning a visualization.
Know your target group:
Know your target audience, and consider decision makers and communication recipients when developing the visualization. What is the context (personal, meeting, large group, internal/public)?
Active co-creation:
Involve all stakeholders in a co-creative process. This promotes commitment and acceptance of the resulting visualization.
Smart creation process:
Create the visualization in the order from the purpose
and goal to the content, i.e. from a bird’s eye view to a rough layout. No details are needed at the beginning.
Promote comprehensibility:
The aim of visualization is to make complex content and systems easy to understand. Therefore, a psychologically effective, brain-friendly image structure (e.g. from left to right, target top right) is the path to simplicity and clarity. Less is more: As one of our team members once said: “Not much more, but more essentials.”
Visual consistency:
Convey recognition value and a clear message along with “read” direction through consistent colors, symbols, information hierarchy.
Use metaphors:
Metaphors help to make abstract concepts more accessible and tangible. They build a bridge of understanding and serve as a strategic narrative.
Integrate participation:
Feedback and diversity of perspectives are important, so soliciting feedback follows during completion. The development process is therefore iterative and evolves from version to version.
Customized roll-out planning:
Plan the launch of the visualization so that it can be well integrated into the company’s existing processes and structures. Instead of simply showing the visual, you need to prepare for the roll-out and possibly train managers so that they understand, internalize and practice the story and symbolic language.
Ensuring implementation:
Visualizations are there to be used. Therefore, make sure that everyone communicates the same thing during the roll-out and that the target group (e.g. employees) actively integrate the visualization into their daily work.
Flexibility and adaptability:
Changes are part of the process. A visualization is often a “living document” and should therefore be easy to adapt if necessary. This is why strategy diagrams and process visualizations are always created using digital tools that enable quick, uncomplicated updates.
Basic rules of visualization as success factors
These basic rules are a fundamental component of successful visualization. They ensure that complex strategies, for example, can be presented in a target-oriented way.
The real added value lies in the fact that the impact and transformation mentioned at the beginning are actually promoted. In other words, the added value is not that there is now a “pretty picture”. It lies in the precise strategic impact on the organization. Something that illustration and graphics can rarely achieve in terms of quality.
Conclusion
Visualization can be a valuable tool, as long as you follow the basic rules. Implementing these rules makes a significant contribution to communicating complex ideas and strategies clearly and effectively, improving collaboration and ultimately supporting the desired change.
Working with experienced partners such as VISUAL FACILITATORS helps to exploit the full potential of visualization and achieve the greatest possible benefit for your company.
With VISUAL FACILITATORS to success: Use the impact of visualization
VISUAL FACILITATORS is your ideal partner for highly effective and impactful visualizations.
We offer:
- Customized visualization solutions tailored to strategy, change and corporate culture.
- The VISUAL FACILITATORS Method: Comprehensive support, from conception to final implementation.
- The experience of over 10,000 visualizations produced.
A successful visualization can revolutionize the processes in your company. It improves cultural change, communication, reaching employees and supports decision-making.
Whether it’s used to illustrate complex processes, to present your corporate vision or to support change processes – strategic visualization is a powerful tool that supports you on your path to success. Choose VISUAL FACILITATORS as your partner to fully utilize this potential.
