Many people avoid using visuals in PowerPoint because of confusion. They think that it is difficult for them to choose a visual to explain their point. Many argue that they are not graphic designers. Luckily, choosing the correct visual isn’t that difficult. It requires a mindset which can be applied by virtually anyone.
What Does a Visual Accomplish?
Visuals are used to help the audience understand a concept that they might not be familiar with. Since humans think in images, using a powerful visual can greatly enhance the understand of a topic.
The Way We All Learn
From the beginning, we learn about the world around us by using our senses. We interact with objects to familiarize ourselves with them. We learn emotionally even before we learn to speak. This is why a metaphor is needed when we start learning any new concept.
Its Like..
We use phrases like this all the time. “You know when..”, “It looked like a..”, “It was almost as if..”, etc. These phrases are used to explain something to someone who has yet to experience it yet. Comparing it to something that they are already familiar with, helps them picture what you’re talking about even when they have never experienced it themselves. Explanations like this also put people to ease, knowing that your explanation will be familiar to something they already know.
What to do When You are Stuck Choosing a Visual
Think about how you would explain the concept to someone who is new to it. Imagine talking to them and explaining the concept to them using phrases like the ones we talked about in the above paragraph. You can write this phrase as text or record it as audio. Now, take your explanation and paint a picture in your mind. It can be anything. Now, go online and try to find an image that most closely resembles what you’ve just imagined. With the millions of images available, chances are that you will be able to find something for your presentation.
Click here for information on where to find royalty free images to use with your presentations.
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