Over the past few months, Warren and I have shared some thoughts (and hopefully some useful tips) about presentations, and visualising data.  Today, I'd like to suggest that one of the most valuable tools you'll use in your work isn't something you learned on a course, and isn't an object provided by your employer (if you have one) - it's a camera.

Now, if you're a regular reader, you'll know that both Warren and I feel that improving the quality of your images - whether graphical figures, or illustrative pictures - can have a huge impact on the efficacy of your argument.  But while the internet has revolutionised our ability to access images, I think it's well worth considering pictures you can take yourself.  

We've all seen the stock images of well groomed people in suits, shaking hands in airy, light-filled offices.

But who wouldn't prefer to see the meeting they're actually in?

It's not unusual for me to dig out my camera when I want to use images to illustrate a concept in a presentation.  Here are a couple of examples.

Scenario 1

When working with researchers or analysts, they often find it tricky to step back from the detail of their work, in order for them to decide what the key messages are, and how best to present them.  In order to communicate this message, I decided to use the metaphor of a recipe.  If you wanted to create a tasty dish, it would be a mistake to use all of the ingredients at your disposal.

You need to trust your experience and expertise to pick out the really important stuff.

Thank God, a custard and kiwi-free tomato sauce.

Scenario 2

As Warren has described previously, there is something of a magical (and memorable quality about grouping items in threes.  Setting aside ancient rules of rhetoric, I wanted to use a mnemonic to help people remember that I'd make three points; remembering that there are three points is the first step to remembering what they were, after all.  As conceptual points, I lacked an obviously visual way of communicating them.  So I decided to use an image which focused on the 'three-ness' instead.

You might think that you need a big swanky camera to take pictures good enough to be used in a presentation or report, but in fact the majority of the images I've used are taken on a small digital point-and-click camera.  What's more important is getting reasonable lighting (which is why, in both of my examples, the pictures were taken on my kitchen worksurfaces, where I could add all sorts of lights).  I then used a free image editor (Microsoft Picture Editor, in my case) to crop the images and increase the saturation, or make other changes.  And if you really don't have time to conduct a mini photoshoot, don't forget the power of the cameraphone - if you're out and about, and spot a nice image, perhaps an entertaining contrast or even a 3D exploded pie chart in the wild, you can quickly snap it and put it into your next presentation; after all, when you're taking your own pictures, you can be certain there are no issues with permission to use them!

 

Bikes are a longstanding love of mine.  When I last worked in an office that wasn't part of my own house, I became an enthusiast for cycling to work, even when it involved changing into office wear in the building's disabled loo, not being able to have a shower, and taking an elderly bike up to the fourth floor.  I started writing about biking to work, the obstacles and the incentives.  Now that my morning commute involves ambling upstairs from my kitchen with my fifth cup of tea, I have no need to cycle to work, so I find myself biking somewhere for lunch, or trying to do my grocery shopping by bike.  And after questioning the usefulness (and beauty) of infographics in data visualisation in last week's post, I thought it was only right to show the attractive image below.

Created by Nau from the data collected by Bikes Belong, this image is more of a poster than an infographic - in fact, the only section of this which I would describe as a true infographic is the 'bar chart' about three times as many new bikes as cars being sold annually.  For the rest, it is simply an attractively designed way of communicating data; a less thoughtful design could simply have involved typing these numbers onto a stock image of people on bikes.  So, given that this demonstrates all the worst criticisms of infographics (what's the point of it?), why am I showing it here in the hallowed halls of Thunderfly?

Well, I think it is important in this context to consider the audience for this image.  This is the kind of picture that could be printed out and posted up on a noticeboard at work; the bright colours and cartoon-y images draw attention and could start the discussion about transport between workplace and the home.  It acts as a tool for advocacy, showing that there is the possibility of reducing the reliance on cars and increasing bike travel, whilst asking us to consider the need for more facilities (secure bike parking, bike lanes, showers or just increased consideration from drivers) and how that might be achieved.  And it is inclusive, by showing cycling as a real alternative (particularly given the financial costs of running a car), rather than simply as a leisure activity, or as something only done by people in tight lycra.

So, this isn't really an infographic.  It's more than that.  It's an illustrated thought-provoker. So what do you think?