Posted by “A picture is worth a thousand words”– goes the adage. Certainly, well-designed images draw our attention immediately, whether they are in print, online or on electronic media. Unappealing text- heavy pages can be translated into images and flowcharts which are both easy to comprehend as well as remember. In fact, the effectiveness of graphical images to speed up and optimize the process of learning has given rise to a new online term: Instructographics- which is essentially a means to improve learning and retention. Instructographics or info-graphics are popular these days as a way for business and news outlets to quickly convey a message or report data. Be it illustrating tiering in banking, drawing a wishlist of a company’s do’s and don’ts, or visualizing challenging concepts, organizations are employing this technique into their learning programmes for employees. These images are self-explanatory and helpful, use a linear approach to the layout of information, and incorporate a variety of colorful graphs and icons to get their messages across.
Designer Dorian Peters reminds us that it’s important to “use visuals to direct attention not distract it.” It is crucial to keep your employees focused on the greater demands of business. That is where the challenge of using Infographics optimally lies. Images can add an element of interest to a course, but there are also specific strategies to consider:
Table of Contents
Course Welcome
An instructographic that walks learners through the course contents is greatly helpful for them in deciding which courses to take and when. This enables them to integrate learning in their everyday on-the-job schedules.
Content Presentation
Specific course topics and tasks might be presented in different ways, based on what will enable maximum comprehension of information. For example, a simple graphic timeline of an organization to acquaint new employees about the company history is sure to win over reading boring text about the same.
Task Instruction
Instructographics can be very helpful in providing step-by-step instructions accompanied by images, for small tasks to be done.
Various applications including videos, maps and pre-designed templates with customizable options, animated and interactive features and drag-and-drop elements are available which can be employed by managers after being suitably designed by experienced illustrators to complement the learning strategy of the organization.