Use simple visuals to engage audiences with complex information

Have you ever come across terminology or indices in an article that make the information uninviting? If you have, you may know how it may prevent you from engaging with the information or message because it takes more time to process it than it is worth to you.

Therefore, it is important when you are presenting your own information to step back and think of ways that you can make it more quickly understandable, while making sure you keep the integrity and accuracy of the information intact.

Below is an example of some simple information graphics I created for Kim Skobba’s Housing Sense blog that help to illustrate this point.

Which do you think is easier to understand? Both represent the same data.

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Example 1:

Twin Cities Metro Area

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Example 2:

In 2000: According to the Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), 7 out of 10 Twin Cities metro area residents making the local median income could have afforded a home sold in that year.

In 2006: While six years later, only 6 out of 10 Twin Cities metro area residents making the local median income could have afforded a home sold in that year.

During that same time homeownership rates increased by nearly 3% during this same time period.

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