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Visual aids in business communication

(5002)

SUBMITTED BY
NAUMAN AHMAD
554724
MSC. ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES
SEMESTER: SPRING, 2020

______________________________________________________________________

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD

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Introduction
Almost all presentations can be enhanced by the effective use of visual aids. These can
include handouts, overhead transparencies, and drawings on the whiteboard, PowerPoint
slides, and many other types of props. Visual aids are an important nonverbal aspect of your
speech that you can control. Once you have chosen a topic, you need to consider how you are
going to show your audience what you are talking about.
Have you ever asked for driving directions and not understood someone’s response? Did the
person say, “Turn right at Sam’s Grocery Store, the new one” or “I think you will turn at the
second light, but it might be the third one”? Chances are that unless you know the town well
or have a map handy, the visual cue of a grocery store or a traffic light might be insufficient
to let you know where to turn. Your audience experiences the same frustration, or sense of
accomplishment, when they get lost or find their way during your speech. Consider how you
can express yourself visually, providing common references, illustrations, and images that
lead the audience to understand your point or issue.
Visual aids accomplish several goals:
 Make your speech more interesting
 Enhance your credibility as a speaker
 Serve as guides to transitions, helping the audience stay on track
 Communicate complex or intriguing information in a short period of time
 Reinforce your verbal message
 Help the audience use and retain the information
When you look at your own presentation from an audience member’s perspective, you might
consider how to distinguish the main points from the rest of the information. You might also
consider the relationships being presented between ideas or concepts, or how other aspects of
the presentation can complement the oral message.
Your audience naturally will want to know why you are presenting the visual aid. The
purpose for each visual aid should be clear, and almost speak for itself. If you can’t quickly
grasp the purpose of a visual aid in a speech, you have to honestly consider whether it should
be used in the first place. Visual aids can significantly develop the message of a speech, but
they must be used for a specific purpose the audience can easily recognize.
Perhaps you want to highlight a trend between two related issues, such as socioeconomic
status and educational attainment. A line graph might show effectively how, as
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socioeconomic status rises, educational attainment also rises. This use of a visual aid can
provide emphasis, effectively highlighting key words, ideas, or relationships for the audience.
Visual aids can also provide necessary support for your position. Audience members may
question your assertion of the relationship between socioeconomic status and educational
attainment. To support your argument, you might include on the slide, “According to the U.S.
Department of Education Study no. 12345,” or even use an image of the Department of
Education Web page projected on a large screen. You might consider showing similar studies
in graphic form, illustrating similarities across a wide range of research.
Clarity is key in the use of visual aids. One way to improve clarity is to limit the number of
words on a PowerPoint slide. No more than ten words per slide, with a font large enough to
be read at the back of the room or auditorium, is a good rule of thumb. Key images that have
a clear relationship to the verbal message can also improve clarity. You may also choose to
illustrate the same data successively in two distinct formats, perhaps a line graph followed by
two pie graphs. Your central goal is to ensure your visual aid is clear.
Preparing Visual Aids
Get started early so that you have time to create or research visual aids that will truly support
your presentation, not just provide “fluff.” Make sure you use a font or image large enough to
be legible for those in the back of the room, and that you actually test your visual aids before
the day of your presentation. Ask a friend to stand at the back of the room and read or
interpret your visual aid. If you are using computer-generated slides, try them out in a
practice setting, not just on your computer screen. The slides will look different when
projected. Allow time for revision based on what you learn.
Your visual aids should meet the following criteria:
 Big. They should be legible for everyone, and should be “back row certified.”
 Clear. Your audience should “get it” the first time they see it.
 Simple. They should serve to simplify the concepts they illustrate.
 Consistent. They should reinforce continuity by using the same visual style.
Using Visual Aids
Here are three general guidelines to follow when using visual aids.McLean, S. (2003). The
basics of speech communication. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Here are some dos
and don’ts:
1. Do make a clear connection between your words and the visual aid for the audience.
2. Do not distract the audience with your visual aid, blocking their view of you or
adjusting the visual aid repeatedly while trying to speak.
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3. Do speak to your audience—not to the whiteboard, the video, or other visual aids.
The timing of your presentation, and of your visual aids, can also have good or bad
consequences. According to a popular joke, a good way to get your boss to approve just about
anything is to schedule a meeting after lunch, turn the lights down, and present some boring
PowerPoint slides. While the idea of a drowsy boss signing off on a harebrained project is
amusing, in reality you will want to use visual aids not as a sleeping potion but as a strategy
to keep your presentation lively and interesting.
Becoming proficient at using visual aids takes time and practice, and the more you practice
before your speech, the more comfortable you will be with your visual aids and the role they
serve in illustrating your points. Planning ahead before speaking will help, but when it comes
time to actually give your speech, make sure they work for the audience as they should.
Speaking to a visual aid (or reading it with your back to the audience) is not an effective
strategy. You should know your material well enough that you refer to a visual aid, not rely
on it.
Using PowerPoint as a Visual Aid
PowerPoint and similar visual representation programs can be an effective tool to help
audiences remember your message, but they can also be an annoying distraction to your
speech. How you prepare your slides and use the tool will determine your effectiveness.
PowerPoint is a slideware program that you have no doubt seen used in class, presentation at
work, or perhaps used yourself to support a presentation. PowerPoint and similar slideware
programs provide templates for creating electronic slides to present visual information to the
audience, reinforcing the verbal message. You’ll be able to import, or cut and paste, words
from text files, images, or video clips to create slides to represent your ideas. You can even
incorporate Web links. When using any software program, it’s always a good idea to
experiment with it long before you intend to use it, explore its many options and functions,
and see how it can be an effective tool for you.
At first, you might be overwhelmed by the possibilities, and you might be tempted to use all
the bells, whistles, and sound effects, not to mention the tumbling, flying, and animated
graphics. If used wisely, a dissolve or key transition can be like a well-executed scene from a
major motion picture film and lead your audience to the next point. But if used
indiscriminately, it can annoy the audience to the point where they cringe in anticipation of
the sound effect at the start of each slide. This danger is inherent in the tool, but you are in
charge of it and can make wise choices that enhance the understanding and retention of your
information.
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The first point to consider is what is the most important visual aid? The answer is you, the
speaker. You will facilitate the discussion, give life to the information, and help the audience
correlate the content to your goal or purpose. You don’t want to be in a position where the
PowerPoint presentation is the main focus and you are on the side of the stage, simply
helping the audience follow along. It should support you in your presentation, rather than the
other way around. Just as there is a number one rule for handouts, there is also one for
PowerPoints: do not use PowerPoints as a read-aloud script for your speech. The PowerPoints
should amplify and illustrate your main points, not reproduce everything you are going to
say.
Your pictures are the second area of emphasis you’ll want to consider. The tool will allow
you to show graphs, charts and illustrate relationships that words may only approach in terms
of communication, but your verbal support of the visual images will make all the difference.
Dense pictures or complicated graphics will confuse more than clarify. Choose clear images
that have an immediate connection to both your content and the audience, tailored to their
specific needs. After images, consider only key words that can be easily read to accompany
your pictures. The fewer words the better: try to keep each slide to a total word count of less
than ten words. Do not use full sentences. Using key words provides support for your verbal
discussion, guiding you as well as your audience. The key words can serve as signposts or
signal words related to key ideas.
A natural question at this point is, “How do I communicate complex information simply?”
The answer comes with several options. The visual representation on the screen is for support
and illustration. Should you need to communicate more technical, complex, or in-depth
information in a visual way, consider preparing a handout to distribute at the conclusion of
your speech. You may also consider using a printout of your slide show with a “notes”
section, but if you distribute it at the beginning of your speech, you run the risk of turning
your presentation into a guided reading exercise and possibly distracting or losing members
of the audience. Everyone reads at a different pace and takes notes in their own way. You
don’t want to be in the position of going back and forth between slides to help people follow
along.
Another point to consider is how you want to use the tool to support your speech and how
your audience will interpret its presentation. Most audiences wouldn’t want to read a page of
text—as you might see in this book—on the big screen. They’ll be far more likely to glance
at the screen and assess the information you present in relation to your discussion. Therefore,
it is key to consider one main idea, relationship, or point per slide. The use of the tool should
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be guided with the idea that its presentation is for the audience’s benefit, not yours. People
often understand pictures and images more quickly and easily than text, and you can use this
to your advantage, using the knowledge that a picture is worth a thousand words.
Use of Color
People love color, and understandably your audience will appreciate the visual stimulation of
a colorful presentation. If you have ever seen a car painted a custom color that just didn’t
attract you, or seen colors put together in ways that made you wonder what people were
thinking when they did that, you will recognize that color can also distract and turn off an
audience.
Color is a powerful way to present information, and the power should be used wisely. You
will be selecting which color you want to use for headers or key words, and how they relate
the colors in the visual images. Together, your images, key words, and the use of color in
fonts, backgrounds, table, and graphs can have a significant impact on your audience. You
will need to give some thought and consideration to what type of impact you want to make,
how it will contribute or possibly distract, and what will work well for you to produce an
effective and impressive presentation.
There are inherent relationships between colors, and while you may have covered some of
this information in art classes you have taken, it is valuable to review here. According to the
standard color wheel, colors are grouped into primary, secondary, and tertiary categories.
Primary colors are the colors from which other colors are made through various
combinations. Secondary colors represent a combination of two primary colors, while tertiary
colors are made from combinations of primary and secondary colors.

 Primary colors. Red, blue and yellow

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 Secondary colors. Green, violet, and orange

 Tertiary colors. Red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green, yellow-orange, and
yellow-green
Colors have relationships depending on their location on the wheel. Colors that are opposite
each other are called complementary and they contrast, creating a dynamic effect. Analogous
colors are located next to each other and promote harmony, continuity, and sense of unity.
Your audience comes first: when considering your choice of colors to use, legibility must be
your priority. Contrast can help the audience read your key terms more easily. Also, focus on
the background color and its relation to the images you plan to incorporate to insure they
complement each other. Consider repetition of color, from your graphics to your text, to help
unify each slide. To reduce visual noise, try not to use more than two or three additional
colors. Use colors sparingly to make a better impact, and consider the use of texture and
reverse color fonts (the same as a background or white) as an option.
Be aware that many people are blue-green colorblind, and that red-green colorblindness is
also fairly common. With this in mind, choose colors that most audience members will be
able to differentiate. If you are using a pie chart, for example, avoid putting a blue segment
next to a green one. Use labeling so that even if someone is totally colorblind they will be
able to tell the relative sizes of the pie segments and what they signify.
Color is also a matter of culture. Some colors may be perceived as formal or informal, or
masculine or feminine. Recognize that red is usually associated with danger, while green
signals “go.” Make sure the color associated with the word is reflected in your choice. If you
have a key word about nature, but the color is metallic, the contrast may not contribute to the
rhetorical situation and confuse the audience.
Seeking a balance between professionalism and attractiveness may seem to be a challenge,
but experiment and test your drafts with friends to see what works for you. Also consider
examining other examples, commonly available on the Internet, but retain the viewpoint that
not everything online is effective nor should it be imitated. There are predetermined color
schemes already incorporated into PowerPoint that you can rely on for your presentation.
We’ve given consideration to color in relation to fonts and the representation of key words,
but we also need to consider font size and selection. PowerPoint will have default settings for
headlines and text, but you will need to consider what is most appropriate for your rhetorical
situation. Always think about the person sitting in the back of the room. The title size should
be at least forty points, and the body text (used sparingly) should be at least thirty-two points.
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Practical study
If you have been asked to give a presentation on a new product idea that a team within your
organization is considering, how might you approach the challenge? You may consider a
chronological organization pattern, starting with background, current market, and a trend
analysis of what is to come—fair enough, but how will you make it vivid for your audience?
How to represent information visually is a significant challenge, and you have several
options.
You may choose to use a chart or diagram to show a timeline of events to date, from the first
meeting about the proposed product to the results from the latest focus group. This timeline
may work for you, but let’s say you would like to get into the actual decision-making process
that motivated your team to design the product with specific features in the first place. You
may decide to use decision trees (or tree diagrams) showing the variables and products in
place at the beginning of your discussions, and how each decision led to the next, bringing
you to the decision-making point where you are today.
To complement this comprehensive guide and help make a transition to current content areas
of questions, you may use a bar or pie graph to show the percentage of competing products in
the market. If you have access to the Internet and a projector, you may use a topographical
map showing a three-dimensional rendering of the local areas most likely to find your
product attractive. If actual hills and valleys have nothing to do with your project, you can
still represent the data you have collected in three dimensions. Then you may show a
comparable graph illustrating the distribution of products and their relative degree of market
penetration.
Finally, you may move to the issue of results, and present the audience with a model of your
product and one from a competitor, asking which they prefer. The object may be just the
visual aid you need to make your point and reinforce the residual message. When we can see,
feel, touch, or be in close proximity to an object it often has a greater impact. In a world of
digital images and special effects, objects presented in real time can still make a positive
effect on the audience.
Additional visual aids you may choose include—but are not limited to—sound and music,
video, and even yourself. If your speech is about how to use the product, your demonstration
may just be the best visual aid.
You will want to give some thought to how to portray your chart, graph, or object when it’s
time to use your visual aids. The chalk or white board is common way of presenting visual
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aids, but it can get messy. Your instructor may write key words or diagrams on the boards
while discussing a textbook chapter, but can you read his or her writing? The same lesson
holds true for you. If you are going to use a white board and have a series of words on it,
write them out clearly before you start your presentation.
Flip charts on a pedestal can also serve to show a series of steps or break a chart down into its
basic components. A poster board is another common way of organizing your visual aids
before a speech, but given its often one-time use, it is losing out to the computer screen. It is,
however, portable and allows you a large “blank page” with which to express your ideas.
Handouts may also serve to communicate complex or detailed information to the audience,
but be careful never to break handout rule number one: never give handouts to the audience at
the beginning of your speech. Where do you want the audience to look—at you or at the
handout? Many novice speakers might be tempted to say the handout, but you will no doubt
recognize how that diverts and divides the audience’s attention. People will listen to the
words from the handout in their minds and tune you out. They will read at their own pace and
have questions. They may even be impolite enough to use them as fans or paper airplanes.
Handouts can be your worst enemy. If you need to use one, state at the beginning of the
speech that you will be providing one at the conclusion of your presentation. This will
alleviate the audience’s worry about capturing all your content by taking notes, and keep their
attention focused on you while you speak.
Transparencies and slides have been replaced by computer-generated slide show programs
like PowerPoint by Microsoft, which we will discuss in greater detail later in this section.
These programs can be very helpful in presenting visual information, but because computers
and projectors sometimes break down and fail to work as planned, you need a plan B. You
may need a poster board, or to write on the whiteboard or to have a handout in reserve, but a
Plan B is always a good idea when it comes to presentations that integrate technology. You
may arrive at your destination and find the equipment is no longer available, is incompatible
with your media storage device, or is simply not working, but the show must go on.
Video clips, such as those you might find on YouTube, can also be effective visual aids.
However, as with handouts, there is one concern: You don’t want the audience to want to
watch the video more than they want to tune into your presentation. How do you prevent
this? Keep the clip short and make sure it reinforces the central message of your presentation.
Always stop speaking before the audience stops listening, and the same holds true for the
mesmerizing force of moving images on a screen. People are naturally attracted to them and
will get “sucked into” your video example rather quickly. Be a good editor, introduce the clip
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and state what will happen out loud, point out a key aspect of it to the audience while it plays
(overlap), and then make a clear transitional statement as you turn it off. Transitions are often
the hardest part of any speech as the audience can get off track, and video clips are one of the
most challenging visual aids you can choose because of their power to attract attention. Use
that power wisely.
Importance of Audiovisual Aids in Business Communication
Communication plays a crucial role to the success of every business. It is considered the
lifeblood, a key component to achieve business goals. Effective communication is certainly
necessary in every organization. There are various ways to communicate, and one of them is
through the use of audiovisual aids. Business presentations are often in audiovisual format.
Typically, the speaker provides the audio as he or she speaks, while the images or objects
projected on the screen form the visual part. Find out more about the importance of
audiovisual presentations in training and business communication.
Helps Retain Information
Training agencies use a combination of sight and sound together with written handouts, as
these are necessary for information retention. Information presented orally and visually is
proven to be retained longer than when it is only presented orally. This is also probably the
reason why lectures in training sessions consist of audiovisual aids.
Provides Efficient Communication
Audiovisual aids are the key to communicating efficiently. There are types of information
that are better conveyed with the use of graphics rather than in writing or orally. The use of
charts, diagrams, graphs, videos, animation and other forms of audiovisual presentation are
an effective way to deliver a message without taking so much time. It also prevents
information overload, as large chunks of data can be simplified, making them easier to
comprehend while time is put to good use.
Better Understanding of New Information
It is high time to take advantage of technological advancements in making use of audiovisual
presentations. Technology has offered various ways to deliver information effectively.
Businesses should also use it for improved communication. In training sessions, images in
addition to words help trainees understand concepts easier. Audiovisual aids can catch the
attention and have a powerful effect in terms of transferring ideas.
Simplifies Complex Reports
Audiovisual aids also help in understanding reports better and easier. These days, it is hard to
imagine a technical report presented only in text format, without any graphical content.
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Graphics help illustrate what words say, and as the saying goes, “a picture paints a thousand
words.” Relevant and well-designed presentations are crucial in reporting, so it is also vital
that workers know how to carefully create an audiovisual aid.
Audiovisual aids can be presented using a variety of equipment, from LCD to film projectors,
and many other options. Companies invest in equipment such as a projector, a projector
mount, computers and similar items because they know that these are vital for effective
communication. Whether they are used for meetings, product presentations or training
sessions, audiovisual aids should be carefully planned and presented. It is important to keep
the aids simple but appealing. Text should be written in bullet points rather than in paragraph
form. Overall, the content should catch the audience’s attention, build their interest and also
inform them.
Types of Visual Aids
Visual aids are not limited to charts but can also include pictographs, pie charts, schedules,
seating charts, financial statements, drawings, videos, slides or sketches. You can use visual
aids as handouts when giving a verbal presentation, present them on-screen or in written
reports. The type of visual aids you use depends on the information you are presenting and
the audience.
Information Processing
Since people process and digest information differently, combining visual aids with a
presentation or document can present the audience with various ways to receive the
information. As a result, you increase your chances of having the audience understand what
is being communicated. Some people understand things better orally; others prefer the
written word, while others prefer a graph or table.
Information Overload
A common communication barrier employers and employees face when presenting or
receiving information is that too much information is presented at once. When this happens,
it's hard to determine which information is most important and relevant to their tasks and
responsibilities. Visual aids, such as graphs and flow charts, can condense large chunks of
information into the most important portions.
Information Retention
If you are standing in front of a group presenting information for 30 minutes, the likelihood
of them retaining the information is slim, especially if the audience has a hard time
concentrating or is uninterested in your information. Using visual aids, along with verbal or
written forms of communication, can help the audience retain the information.
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Language Barriers
Language barriers are a common communication barrier, especially as the workforce
becomes more diverse. Nonnative speakers may not fully understand information during a
verbal presentation; however, with visual aids they can perhaps use deductive reasoning to
grasp your main ideas.
Limited Time
A picture is still worth 1,000 words; thus, visual aids save time in conveying ideas. This is
true whether an employee is preparing a written report for a busy executive or that
executive has to present information to a group. Visual aids provide a quick way to get the
main points of the sales pitch or idea for product packaging.

Literature Review
Without communication a business can not function as it should, messages should be accurate
and persons sending the message should ensure that it is clear and precise but adequately
detailed. Low communication within a business can cause the business to not run effectively.
There are different types of communication that can be done to communicate within a
business they are: oral communication, visual communication, non- visual communication
and written communication. These forms of communication are important in all successful
business. Not just that a business may not be successful but also it member will be frustrated
this can cause by the conflicts that is in the business because of the lock of communication or
because of unclear messages.
Communication is the exchanging of information between people or group. It is effective
communication if the message has been received and understood by the receiver and the
sender knows that it has been understood. This is a recording to the business studies literature
that was written by Peter Stimpson and was first published in 2002. He also stated that all
business communicate externally – with supplier, customers shareholders and the
government, the example he gave for this that the significance of effective communication is
obvious – a potential customer confused about a product’s qualities because of a poor
advertisement or suppliers delivering to an incorrect address are just are examples of what
can go wrong. Internal communication is between different people or groups within the
organization. The different types of communication that he listed are:
Oral communication- and he said this can be one- to-one conversation, interview, appraisal
sessions, group meetings or team briefings.
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Written communication- this by letters, memos, notices on broad, reports, minutes, and
diagrams for technical matters such a house plans.
Visual communication- this can be used to accompany and support oral, written, or electronic
communication. Diagrams, pictures, charts, and pages of computer images can be presented
by using overhead projection, interactive white broads, data projectors, videos, and other
means.
Mr. Stimpson listed some steps managers should take in order to minimize the impact of
communication barriers and these are:
Ensure the message is clear and precise but adequately detailed;
Keep the communication channel as short as possible;
Make sure that channels of communication are clear to all involved;
Build in feedback to the communication process so that problems with receipt or
understanding of the message can be checked quickly;
Establish trust between senders and receivers- this could be most easily achieved in a
business where the culture is to accept all staff as being important and as having useful
contributions to make;
Ensure that physical conditions are appropriate for messages to be heard or receive in other
ways.
The strategic communication in business and the professions literature that was written by
Dan O’Hair, Gustav W. Friedrich and Lynda Dee Dixon stated that most of communication
in groups take place in five types of groups: the family; adolescent friendship groups; work
groups; committees, problem-solving groups and creative groups; and therapy groups. As the
size of a group increases, the interaction among the members becomes more formal, there is
less chance for each member to participate, topics become less intimate, and tasks take longer
to accomplish this now can cause conflict within the group. There are four phases which
contributes to group development and there are:
Forming: During this first stage individuals get to know each other. They often are overly
polite and feel a bit awkward. As they search for similarities and attempt to bond, they begin
to develop trust in each other. Members will discuss fundamental topics such as why the
group is necessary, who “owns” the group, whether membership is mandatory, how large it
should be, and what talents members can contribute.
Storming: on the second stage, members define their roles and responsibilities, decide how to
reach their goal, and iron out the rules governing how they interact. This stage often produces
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conflict, resulting in storming. A good leader, however should step in to set limits, control
and chaos, and offer suggestions
Norming: tension subsides, roles clarify, and information begins to flow among members.
The group periodically checks its agenda to remind itself of its progress toward its gold.
Formal leadership is unnecessary here as everyone as take on leadership functions. Important
data is shared with the entire group, and mutual interdependence becomes typical. The group
begins to move smoothly in one direction. Members make sure that procedures are in place to
resolve future conflicts.
Performing: in some groups they never reach the final stage of performing. Problems that
may cause them groups to fail are: poor feedback, bad leadership, senseless procedures,
mismatch needs, confused goal and anti-team cultures. (Dan O’ Hair, 2002)
Conflict may be defined as a struggle or contest between people with opposing needs, ideas,
beliefs, valves or goals. Conflicts occur only because of the lack of communication within an
organization. Conflict on teams is inevitable; however, the results of conflict are not
predetermined. Conflict might escalate and lead to nonproductive results, or conflict can be
beneficially resolved and lead to quality final products. This is a greatly misunderstanding
facet of group communication. Many group leaders avoid conflict because they think it
detracts from a group’s purpose and goals. Their attitude is that a group experiencing conflict
is not running smoothly. Conflict does not signal that a meeting is disorderly, raucous, or
rude. It is a sign that people are actively discussing issues. However, the business
communication literature that was written by Mary Ellen Guffey and published in 2003
thought that teams who manage conflict often determines whether a team survives; it also
affect the quality of its performance and its decisions. There are two types of conflict that a
group/ team may experience. Cognitive conflict centers on issues and is considered healthy
and functional. Cognitive conflicts arouse discussion and stimulate creative thinking. it
makes team members get involved as they examine, compare, and reconcile their differences.
Cognitive conflict also promotes acceptance of a team decision. Team members “buy into”
the decision and are more willing to implement it when they have been able to speak their
minds. Affective conflict aims not at issues but at feelings and personalities. It is disruptive
and dysfunctional. Affective conflict tends to be emotional and focuses on people, not on
substantive matters. Such conflict may erupt into name- calling and criticism, which destroys
team unity. He also said by researches the best decisions are made by teams that experience
healthy differences of opinion but are able to keep their conflict aimed at issues. As one
member of a successful team remarked, we scream a lot, and then resolve the issues. Without
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conflict and free discussion, team may fall victim to groupthink. This is a term coined by
theorist Irving Janis to describe faulty decision- making processes by team members who are
overly eager to agree with one another. This writer went on by listing some conditions that
can lead to groupthink and they are: team members with similar backgrounds, a lack of
methodical procedures, a demand for quick decision, and a strong leader who favors a
specific decision. Symptoms of groupthink may include pressures placed on a member who
argues against the group’s shared beliefs, self- censorship of thoughts that deviate from the
group consensus, collective efforts to rationalize, and an unquestioned belief in the group’s
inherent morality. Effective teams avoid groupthink by striving for team diversity- in age
gender, background, experience, and training. They encourage open discussion, search for
relevant information, evaluate many alternatives, consider how a decision will be
implemented, and plan for contingencies in case the decision doesn’t work out.

Merit / Demerits
DOs and DON’Ts of Visual Business Communication
DOs
 Identify your audience;
 Do your research and make sure the data is correct and not misleading;
 Always check your facts;
 Try to integrate information into a hierarchy;
 Appropriate a color palette, but keep in mind not to use more than 6 colors;
 Appropriate typefaces;
 Bet on a consistent design;
 Communicate data accurately;
 Try to tell a story;
 Promote your data;
 Always remember to proofread the final version;
 Be clear and direct;
 Paraphrase to add more clarity;
 Be confident to use “I”.
DON’Ts
 Don’t confuse the viewer;
 It’s important not to make misleading graphics;
 Overdoing it or making it complicated has a negative effect;
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 Don’t distort graphics and make sure all your Y axis start from Zero;
 It’s better not to skip values in numerical data;
 Refrain from using phrases like ”Don’t care” “Not interested” “Don’t want to”, instead
flip them to questions;
 Try not to explain complicated information via emails, flyers or letter. Instead, arrange a
meeting;
 Minimize the use of jargon and tech terms, especially when communicating outside your
company;
 Try not to overuse abbreviations;
 Don’t interrupt;
 Never talk negatively about the competition.
Advantages
Brand Recognition
Visuals make a brand recognizable. Big companies use specific shapes, colors and fonts
to communicate a specific message and to stand out from their competition. This consistency
in style is what makes a visual communication in business successful and efficient and it
gives your brand an advantage and awareness.
Little Room for Interpretation
In business communication, there should be left room for interpretation as little as possible.
Text communication fortified with visuals, short and simple videos and infographic leave all
readers to interpret similar meanings and quickly get on the same page.
This is in complete contrast to literature where the writers communicate their ideas to the
audience in text format and leave plenty of room for free interpretation. This is why movies
based on books do not always live up to the readers’ expectations.
Better Customer Service
Customer Service employees often rely on visuals in order to walk customers through entire
processes. For example, screenshots not only save time writing rows of explanations but also
provide a better understanding of the problem and its solutions. Accompanying screenshots
with annotations, highlighting specific parts and additional explanations are even better.
Social Network Popularity
Visual Business Communication gets effective when combined with social media. Visuals get
shared and distributed in the newsfeeds of potential clients. The statistic shows that
Facebook posts that include images tend to engage viewers 650% more than regular text
updates do.
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Better Understanding of Product and Services for Potential Clients

People prefer to watch a product review video on YouTube before purchasing. Hands on
videos, especially in the tech sphere are obligatory. They give sufficient information, insights
and a better understanding of how a device works and what its advantages are.
Better Workplace Communication
Many companies invest in video tutorials to train their employees more efficiently. In the
meantime, co-workers use effective visual communication amongst themselves. The
examples include slide presentations that are perfect for the use of graphs in order to compare
numbers; memos that transport information between co-workers and groups; videos and
hands- on displays.
Disadvantages
Unfortunately, as great as visual business communication sounds, there are also a few
inconveniences you can’t escape. Creating the right visuals that will benefit the better
communicating data takes much longer compared to text. Visual business communication can
be a double- edged sword. Poorly made graphic or image will not only fail to deliver the
message but might become misleading and damage the communication. It might get costly.
Especially if you need something specific and custom made to incorporate and communicate
your data adequately, you will need to pay a professional to do it. That kind of professional
work never comes for free. Furthermore, the technique of visual communication is
incomplete and it can’t exist as the only method for business communication. It’s your best
tactic, but it needs a base (oral or text communication) to stand on. After all, you need your
archers protected by a wall for full efficiency and minimum casualties.

Conclusion & Recommendations

Additional visual aids you may choose include—but are not limited to—sound and music,
video, and even yourself. If your speech is about how to use the product, your demonstration
may just be the best visual aid. You will want to give some thought to how to portray your
chart, graph, or object when it’s time to use your visual aids. The chalk or white board is
common way of presenting visual aids, but it can get messy. Your instructor may write key
words or diagrams on the boards while discussing a textbook chapter, but can you read his or
her writing? The same lesson holds true for you. If you are going to use a white board and
have a series of words on it, write them out clearly before you start your presentation. Flip
charts on a pedestal can also serve to show a series of steps or break a chart down into its
basic components. A poster board is another common way of organizing your visual aids
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before a speech, but given its often one-time use, it is losing out to the computer screen. It is,
however, portable and allows you a large “blank page” with which to express your ideas.
Handouts may also serve to communicate complex or detailed information to the audience,
but be careful never to break handout rule number one: never give handouts to the audience at
the beginning of your speech. Where do you want the audience to look—at you or at the
handout? Many novice speakers might be tempted to say the handout, but you will no doubt
recognize how that diverts and divides the audience’s attention. People will listen to the
words from the handout in their minds and tune you out. They will read at their own pace and
have questions. They may even be impolite enough to use them as fans or paper airplanes.
Handouts can be your worst enemy. If you need to use one, state at the beginning of the
speech that you will be providing one at the conclusion of your presentation. This will
alleviate the audience’s worry about capturing all your content by taking notes, and keep their
attention focused on you while you speak.Transparencies and slides have been replaced by
computer-generated slide show programs like PowerPoint by Microsoft, which we will
discuss in greater detail later in this section. These programs can be very helpful in presenting
visual information, but because computers and projectors sometimes break down and fail to
work as planned, you need a plan B. You may need a poster board, or to write on the
whiteboard or to have a handout in reserve, but a Plan B is always a good idea when it comes
to presentations that integrate technology. You may arrive at your destination and find the
equipment is no longer available, is incompatible with your media storage device, or is
simply not working, but the show must go on. Video clips, such as those you might find on
YouTube, can also be effective visual aids. However, as with handouts, there is one concern:
You don’t want the audience to want to watch the video more than they want to tune into
your presentation. How do you prevent this? Keep the clip short and make sure it reinforces
the central message of your presentation. Always stop speaking before the audience stops
listening, and the same holds true for the mesmerizing force of moving images on a screen.
People are naturally attracted to them and will get “sucked into” your video example rather
quickly. Be a good editor, introduce the clip and state what will happen out loud, point out a
key aspect of it to the audience while it plays (overlap), and then make a clear transitional
statement as you turn it off. Transitions are often the hardest part of any speech as the
audience can get off track, and video clips are one of the most challenging visual aids you can
choose because of their power to attract attention. Use that power wisely.
As we’ve discussed, visual aids can be a powerful tool when used effectively, but can also
run the risk of dominating your presentation. As a speaker, you will need to consider your
 19

audience and how the portrayal of images, text, graphic, animated sequences, or sound files
will contribute or detract from your presentation. Here is a brief list of hints to keep in mind
as you prepare your presentation.
 Keep visual aids simple.
 Use one key idea per slide.
 Avoid clutter, noise, and overwhelming slides.
 Use large, bold fonts that the audience can read from at least twenty feet from the
screen.
 Use contrasting colors to create a dynamic effect.
 Use analogous colors to unify your presentation.
 Use clip art with permission and sparingly.
 Edit and proofread each slide with care and caution.
 Use copies of your visuals available as handouts after your presentation.
 Check the presentation room beforehand.
 With a PowerPoint presentation, or any presentation involving technology, have a
backup plan, such as your visuals printed on transparencies, should unexpected
equipment or interface compatibility problems arise
Becoming proficient at using visual aids takes time and practice. The more you practice
before your speech, the more comfortable you will be with your visual aids and the role they
serve in illustrating your message. Giving thought to where to place visual aids before
speaking helps, but when the time comes to actually give your speech, make sure you
reassess your plans and ensure that they work for the audience as they should. Speaking to a
visual aid (or reading it to the audience) is not an effective strategy. Know your material well
enough that you refer to your visual aids, not rely on them.

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