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Technical Communication:
Process and Product
Seventh Edition
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
Pearson Education, Inc.
Technical Communication:
Process and Product
Seventh Edition
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
Chapter 10: Using Visual
Aids in Technical
Communication
Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 10: Using Visual Aids in
Technical Communication
This chapter discusses
the following:
• Benefits
• Criteria for Effective
Graphics
• Types of Graphics
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
The Benefits of Visual Aids
Wall-to-wall text is neither clear nor
concise.
Effective technical communication
includes graphics, which provide the
following benefits:
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
The Benefits of Visual Aids
(cont.)
• Conciseness—visual aids can convey
large amounts of information in less
space.
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
The Benefits of Visual Aids
(cont.)
• Clarity—visual aids can clarify complex
information by showing
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– Trends
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– Comparisons
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Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
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1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
The Benefits of Visual Aids
(cont.)
• Clarity—visual aids can clarify complex
information by showing
13%
13%
17%
– Percentages
57%
– Facts and figures
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
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1st Qtr
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4th Qtr
1st Q
2nd Q
3rd Q
1600
1360
2145
2311
6743
2456
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
The Benefits of Visual Aids
(cont.)
• Cosmetic Appeal—visual aids add
interest to documentation.
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Color
Color adds interest to visual aids.
However, use color with caution. Color
can cause problems:
• Harsh colors can be distracting.
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Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Color (cont.)
• Colors can be distracting.
• Color can increase production cost.
• Color consumes disk space.
• Color can cause problems for people with
visual impairments.
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Three-dimensional Graphics
Three-dimensional graphics add interest
to visual aids. However, use 3-D with
caution. 3-D can cause problems:
Exact plot points
• Unclear data
Inexact plot points
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Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Criteria for Effective Graphics
Effective graphics are
• Integrated with the text
• Appropriately located
• Add to the text
• Communicate important information
• Do no detract
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Criteria for Effective Graphics
(cont.)
•
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•
Are sized effectively
Are readable
Are correctly labeled
Are consistent in style with other
graphics
• Are well conceived and executed
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Graphics
Graphics include
• Tables
• Figures
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Tables
Tables have these benefits:
• Conciseness—avoid needless repetition
of words
• Clarity—provide easy-to-see
comparisons/contrasts
• Easy reference
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Tables (cont.)—Criteria
To create effective tables,
• Number them in order of presentation
(Table 1, Table 2, etc.).
• Title all table (Table 1: Comparison of
Annual Wages).
• Place tables soon after mention in text.
• Do not insert table before mention in
text.
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Tables (cont.)—Criteria
• Use introductory lead-ins to tables.
• Provide follow-up explanations to
tables, explaining the significance.
• Provide headings for all columns.
• Abbreviate terms to size columns
appropriately.
• Do not crowd tables on a page.
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Tables (cont.)—Criteria
• Separate columns with ample white
space for easy readability.
• Show omissions with ellipses ( . . .) or
hyphens/dashes ( - - - )
• Use numbers consistently (either ½ or
.5)
• Write “cont.” if a table spans more than
one page.
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Tables (cont.)—Criteria
Table 10.1 Student Headcount, 2008
Age Group
New Students
Continuing
Students
18-20
1.400
900
21-23
330
602
24-26
263
496
Total
3,393
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1,998
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Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Figures
There are many different types of figures:
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Bar charts
Pie charts
Line charts
Combination charts
Flowcharts
Organizational charts
Schematics
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
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Geologic maps
Line drawings
Renderings
CAD drawings
Photographs
Icons
Downloadable clip art
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Figures (cont.)—Criteria
To create effective figures,
• Number the figures in order of presentation
(Fig. 1, Fig. 2, etc.).
• Title each figure (Fig. 1: Percentages of Work
Performed).
• Preface each figure with an introductory leadin.
• Do not use a figure until mentioned in the
text.
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
21
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Figures (cont.)—Criteria
• Present the figure soon as mentioning.
• Explain the figure’s importance.
• Label the figure’s components (x- and yaxes, for example).
• Provide a legend when necessary.
• Define any abbreviations.
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
22
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Figures (cont.)—Criteria
• Cite sources of information as needed.
• Do not crowd figures on a page.
• Size the figures appropriately for
readability.
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
23
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Figures
• Bar charts
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Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
24
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Figures (cont.)
• Pie Charts
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
25
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Figures (cont.)
• Line Charts
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
26
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Figures (cont.)
• Combination Charts
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Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
27
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Figures (cont.)
• Flowcharts
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
28
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Figures (cont.)
• Organizational Charts
President
CFO
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
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FFO
CEO
29
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Figures (cont.)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Schematics
Geologic maps
Line drawings
Renderings
CAD drawings
Virtual Reality
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
30
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Figures (cont.)
• Line Drawings
Air Bag
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
31
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Figures (cont.)
• Photographs
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
32
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Figures (cont.)
• Icons
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
33
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Types of Figures (cont.)
• Downloading Existing Online Graphics
– The Internet (sites like “Google”) offer
millions of downloadable clip art.
NOTE:
Be careful when using downloadable clip art.
Abide by copyright laws.
 Modify the graphics
 Give credit to the artists (source citations)
 Get permission before use
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
34
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved
Practice
• Use the end-of-chapter activities to
practice graphics.
Technical Communication: Process and Product, 7/e
Sharon Gerson and Steven Gerson
35
Copyright © 2012, 2008, 2003, 1992, 1980 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved