Abstract

Having trouble explaining a complex scientific concept or message? Don’t just write about it, visualise it with an information-packed graphic or diagram. Not your old box and arrow plots, but engaging, dynamic graphics full of colour, interest and information. Graphics and diagrams can be used to great effect in communicating and visualising complex scientific concepts to your peers, stakeholders, policy makers and the greater public. Take your data beyond the standard Excel graph and enhance your communication products.

I hope to help you enhance your written words with exciting and dynamic graphics and diagrams and to help reach those people who only “look at the pictures”. I’ll give you a guided tour through the creation of informative graphics and diagrams including:

• Process: Brainstorming ideas and how diagrams can be used to clearly define your message
• Uses: From newsletters to website, what formats do you need to make your diagram work best
• Audiences: How the content of your diagram can be tweaked for different audiences
• Examples: See examples of graphics and diagrams to get ideas for your own projects
• Tools: What tools are available and how to create your own
• Tips and tricks to make your graphics stand out.

If pictures are worth a thousand words, then graphics and diagrams must be worth a million!