Visual Communication Resources

Visual Communication Resources

Robert Horn Robert Horn is a professor emeritus from Stanford University. Horn believes
visual and verbal information combined gives the best possibility of
understanding complex problems. His book, Visual Language, is written in visual language, and offers an overview of the syntax and semantics of the visual world and how they relate to the verbal. He uses an information mapping system to diagram “complex social messes”. By using visual and verbal data together, you can display the complexities and paradoxes of big problems.

  • Horn, R. E. (1998). Visual language: Global communication for the 21st century. Bainbridge Island, WA: MacroVU, Inc.
  • Horn, R. E. (2001, July 16, 2001). Knowledge mapping for complex social messes. Paper presented at the Foundations in the Knowledge Economy.
  • http://www.Stanford.edu/~rhorn

Edward Tufte

Edward Tufte is a professor emeritus from Yale University. His books
focus on the visual display of data and how information design affects
communication. His essay on Powerpoint includes an analysis of how poor
information design contributed to the Columbia crash. The Microsoft Powerpoint Autocontent Wizard Gettysberg address by Perter Norvig is also included in this essay. Tufte’s books are intricate and exquisite examples of how to create effective charts and graphs and how to display data with integrity. The Ask ET section of his website has discussions about his concepts and books with lots of additional resources.

  • Tufte, E. R. (1990). Envisioning information. Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press.
  • Tufte, E. R. (1997). Visual explanations. Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press.
  • Tufte, E. R. (2001). The visual display of quantitative information (Second ed.). Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press.
  • Tufte, E. R. (2003). The cognitive style of Powerpoint. Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press.
  • http://www.edwardtufte.com

Ralph Wileman

Ralph Wileman is a professor emeritus in graphic design from the
University of North Carolina. His work shows how visual and verbal
communications intersect. His books include exercises to improve your skills in creating visuals for learning and explain principles for how the visual elements operate in tandem with verbal.

  • Wileman, R. E. (1980). Exercises in visual thinking. New York: Hastings House.
  • Wileman, R. E. (1993). Visual communicating. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

United States Homeland Security

The US Department of Homeland Security established the National
Visual Analytics Center in 2004. Its purpose is to develop tools that are capable of displaying complex information visually. The goal is to be able to increase the ability to analyze data through complex visual modeling with the hope that signs of terrorist attacks can be identified early and therefore thwarted. According to centers director Jim Thomas:

Visual analytics are valuable because the tool helps to detect the expected, and discover the unexpected. Visual analytics combines the art of human intuition and the science of mathematical deduction to perceive patterns and derive knowledge and insight from them.

Visual Anthropology

There are a number of approaches to using visuals with verbal
information in the field of anthropology. The photo-elicitation process has been used since the 1950’s to deepen understanding across cultures. Some of the references to this work include:

  • Clark-Ibanez, M. (2004). Framing the social world with photo-elicitation interviews. American Behavioral Scientist, 47(12), 1507 - 1527.
  • Collier, J. J. (1957). Photography in anthropology: A report on two experiments. American Anthropologist, 59(5), 843 - 859.
  • Collier, J. J., & Collier, M. (1986). Visual anthropology: Photography as a research method (revised and expanded edition ed.). Albuquerque: University of New Mexico.
  • Harper, D. (2002). Talking about pictures: A case for photo-elicitation. Visual Studies, 17(1), 13 - 26.
  • Samuels, J. (2004). Breaking the ethnographer’s frames: Reflections on the use of photo elicitation in understanding Sri Lankan monastic culture. American Behavioral Scientist, 47(12), 1528 - 1550.

The Visual ExplorerThe Center for Creative Leadership uses a tool called the Visual Explorer
consisting of two hundred diverse images selected to express literal and
metaphoric leadership challenges. Individuals reflect upon a topic selected for
group discussion in a journal then choose an image related to their ideas. Still
continuing the process of reflection, individuals then break into small discussion groups for conversation about the topic. Individuals may combine their images into a collage to create new meanings from the collective image.

The Visual Explorer expands conversations in multiple ways. The images
create a concrete base to center the conversation around while also opening
dialogue about similarities and differences in perspective. This foundation formed by the images express emotions and intuition which can be extended and transformed by adding new elements. Providing perspective and distance allows new meanings to come forward through metaphor and story. Reducing a complex challenge to an image assists in revealing its parts and allows for a different type of exploration.

  • Horth, D. M., & Palus, C. J. (2003). Using visuals to build teams. T & D,57(10), 59 - 64.
  • Palus, C. J., & Horth, D. M. (2002). The leaders edge: Six creative competencies for navigating complex challenges. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass and Center for Creative Leadership.
  • Palus, C.J., & Drath, W.H. (2001). Putting something in the middle: Anapproach to dialogue. Reflections. 3(2), 28-39.
  • http://www.ccl.org

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