This talk explains how effective visuals can improve the clarity of presentations and e-learning tutorials.

1. Effective Use of Visuals in Online
Presentations and E-Learning Tutorials
Nad Rosenberg
Lisbon | October 13, 2010
www.techw.com © 2010, TechWRITE, Inc.

2. About Nad
• President and founder (in 1985) of TechWRITE, Inc., a technical
communications/e-learning company located in Woodbury,
New Jersey, USA
• PLAIN Board member and webmaster
• STC Associate Fellow
• Past President of STC Philadelphia Metro Chapter
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twnad@techw.com
856-848-6593
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3. Visuals today

4. Visuals today
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5. Visuals today
• LOB-specific and process-specific document templates, workflows, and business rules for many document types. Global common
document templates, workflows, and business rules for many document types.
• (High priority) Availability of standardized API in various areas (presentation, etc.) for application integration
– Each vendor should define the APIs, platforms supported (i.e.Java and .NET), SOA solution provided, support for standards like
Java JSR.
• User interface options: The variety and options of UI available
– This is important because there are clearly requirements for Office, Outlook, File Share (File Share Services, WebDAV, ftp),
Application API and Web Based UIs
• Flexible capability to define taxonomies, workflows, presentation templates, object models, retention policies etc. at enterprise,
regional & LOB level
– From our Global Design Document, the solution should provide the interfaces and tools in order to implement the following:
• Global Taxonomy and Object Hierarchy
• Global Cabinet and Folder Hierarchy
• Document Retention
• Litigation Hold
• Reference Data Synchronization and Usage
• Open Architecture: ability to integrate with various vendor BPM and Records Management tools/applications
– The vendor must be able to demonstrate the ability to interface with external application and services including Business
Process Engines (integaret with Staffware or others), Federated Records Management (integrate with ELAR or others),
Federated Search (integrate with Endeca)
• Open Architecture: Ability to build a federated architecture, capability for interfaces/distributed architectures of several document
archives/warehouses
• Document linking: How are linked documents stored/maintained, are renditions of linked/embedded documents available
– The vendor must be able to demonstrate the ability to manage complex Office documents with embedded object and links.
They also need to demonstrate which UIs support this functionality.
• Ability to support global search options (predictive document caching), how are searches and document retrieval enabled in a
federated model. In a federated model, how are local repository documents included in global searches.
• Messaging capabilities between applications/internal parties
– What are the supported mechanisms? JMS, MQSeries, MSMQ, SMTP, SOA etc.
• Integration with JAP environment
• International language support
Line of Business support – Architecture,
Taxonomies/Object Model & Workflows/BPM

6. Visuals today
Complicated graphic
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7. Reducing the cognitive load
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8. Reducing the cognitive load
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1/8 or 1/4 of the pie?

9. Reducing the cognitive load
Red states/blue states
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10. Reducing the cognitive load
Red states/blue states by population
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11. Reducing the cognitive load
Red states/blue states by cultural and political values
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12. Make sure graphics help...not hinder
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13. Make sure graphics help...not hinder
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14. Simplify the complex: Visual cues
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15. Simplify the complex: Color cues
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16. Simplify the complex: Segmenting
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17. Simplify the complex: Zoom
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18. Simplify the complex:
Multimedia
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Visual
Auditory

19. Simplify the complex: Rollovers
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20. Simplify the complex: Insets
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21. Simplify the complex: Insets
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22. Engage your audience
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23. Engage your audience

24. Engage your audience

25. Engage your audience

26. Photo resources
Google images - http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi
iStockphoto - http://www.istockphoto.com/
Stockvault - http://www.stockvault.net/
Crestock - http://www.crestock.com/
Dreamstime - http://www.dreamstime.com/
Microsoft Office Images - http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/
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27. Bibliography
• Visual Language for Designers, Connie Malamed
• Graphics for Learning, Ruth Colvin Clark and Chopeta Lyons
• E-Learning and the Science of Instruction, Ruth Colvin Clark and
Richard E. Mayer
• The Rapid e-Learning Blog – Tom Kuhlmann
http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/visual-graphic-design/
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