Webinar recap: using visuals to support clear communication

This Clear Language Lab webinar took place on March 6, 2024 as part of the Plain Language Foundations series. Check out the notes below, or access the webinar recording and slides.

Key points

General notes

• Using visuals strategically can help:

  • Break up text

  • Support understanding

  • Convey tone & values

  • Create visual hierarchy

• Different audiences may draw different meanings from the same visuals. As much as possible, test and get feedback on your content from your intended audience.

• Photo consent is about more than just permission. Be thoughtful in how you use people’s images and make a good effort to get final approval from the people in the image.

Tips & tricks

• Use icons with lists to make them more visually interesting

• Add visuals to dense documents to break up walls of text

• When choosing visuals to support meaning:

  • If you’re trying to encourage a behavior, show people doing the desired behavior.

  • If you’re trying to support a new idea, use visuals with a concrete example of what you’re talking about. 

• You can use decorative elements to highlight key information, connect ideas, and create cohesion across materials. Make sure they don’t impede readability or distract from your content (less is more!)

• Use a specific title on graphs and charts that tells your audience what you want them to learn from this information. 

Accessibility

• Use accessibility tools to check the color contrast of both text and images. 

• Never share important information in an image without including the same content in plain text. 

• Use other formatting in addition to color to highlight important information. 

• Include alternative text (alt text) for any visuals that are not decorative. 

Resources

General communication

• Center for Plain Language 

• US Government Plain Language Site 

• FrameWorks Institute

  • Framing 101

  • Reframing Aging Through Images 

Accessible design

• Dos and don'ts on designing for accessibility - Accessibility in government (blog.gov.uk)

• WebAIM: Contrast Checker

• Color Contrast Checker | WCAG Compliant

Data visualization

• Viz Palette (susielu.com)

• Evergreen Data Visualization Blog

Inclusive stock photos and icons

• AllGo (canweallgo.com)

• Black Illustrations

• Disabled And Here (affecttheverb.com)

• Nappy | Beautifully Diverse Stock Photos

• Noun Project: Free Icons & Stock Photos for Everything

Interested in learning more about professional development at Clear Language Lab? Check out other past webinars, find upcoming events on our training page, or contact Sarah Glazer, Sr. Program Manager, at sarah@litworks.org to learn more about our offerings.

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