Table of Contents

Acknowledgements x

About the Author xii

About the Content xiii

About Frame Concepts xiv

Dedication xv

Foreword xvi

References xvii

Prologue: A Call to Visual Action xviii

ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND THIS BOOK

First-Hand Knowledge of Communication Challenges and Visual Solution 2

Presented from the Perspective of a Business Person, not a Designer 3

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Three Main Sections 6

INTRODUCTION: NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND

My Career Life Is Symptomatic of Our Business Communication Challenges 10

My First Business Communication Lesson: Explaining the Business Value of Preventative Maintenance11

Academic Complex Communications 12

Corporate Training 13

Wall Street 14

The Startup Laundry Machine 16

A Lot at Stake with Startups 17

Some Visual Light at the End of the Tunnel 19

A Sketch Helps Business 20

Netting It All Out 21

PART 1 – WHY VISUAL SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESS

WHY IS THERE A BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

PROBLEM?

Is Business Communication Important to the Bottom Line? 26

So Why Is There a Communication Problem? 29

Information Overload 31

Information Economy 32

Attention Deficit Syndrome 32

Innovation Requires New Understanding 33

Differentiation in a Crowded Space Very Nuanced34

Offerings Becoming Increasingly More Specialized35

Buyers Have No Time 36

Media Consumption Increasingly Visual in the Media/Consumer World 37

SOLUTION: INFORMATION DESIGN

Graphic Design Vs Information Design 40

Illustration vs Information Design 41

Technical Communication Vs Information Design 42

Copywriting and Stock Photo Sourcing 43

So How is Information Design Different? 43

The Ingredients of Information Design 44

Pencil Sketch: Driving Visual Ideation 46

LEVERAGING INFORMATION DESIGN FOR BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS: A PERFECT STORM

The Audience Already Enjoys Visual Communication in Media and Consumer ChannelS 50

The Rise of Content and Inbound Marketing 51

Data Analytics has Become Mainstream 52

Value and Solution Selling haVE become the Norm 53

THE ARGUMENT FOR VISUAL-CENTRIC APPROACH

Why Are Visual Solutions So Effective in Business Communications? 56

Visuals in Business: The Psychological Argument 57

Visual Solutions in Business: The Marketing Metric Argument 58

Visual Solutions in Business: The Organic Argument 60

Opposing the Financial (or Luxury) Argument 61

PART 2 – ONBOARDING, PLANNING AND MANAGING THE VISUAL SOLUTION PROCESS STRATEGY – SCOPING IN VISUAL SOLUTIONS TO YOUR ORGANIZATION

Where to Start? 66

Considerations 67

It All Starts at Home 68

On to Content Marketing 70

Validating your Approach and Your Solutions 71

Sales Tools 71

Getting Everyone Onboard 72

SELECTING VENDORS: THE LANDSCAPE

Traditional Options 76

Visualizing Visual Options 76

Do-It-Yourself Tools 78

Infographic Freelancer 79

Community Site of Infographic Designers 80

Traditional Marketing or PR Agency 81

Ad Agency 82

Technical Writers 83

“Explainer” Video Shop 84

Evaluating Information Design Agencies 85

MANAGING VENDORS: A REPEATABLE CREATIVE PROCESS

Getting the Best Creative Within Predictable Timelines88

Pre-Delivery: The Outline 90

Concept Sketch: Ideation Begins 91

Partial Render 94

Final Stage: Full Render 86

Extending from Static to Interactive, Animation, and Data-Driven Visualization Application 97

Interactive Storyboard 98

Animation Storyboard 100

Data-Driven Visualization Process Storyboard 103

VISUAL SOLUTIONS IN BUSINESS ACTION

The Short Answer Is That Visual Solutions Can Be Applied Everywhere 110

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words 111

Visual Solutions Are Being Applied Everywhere 111

Visual Application Samples Category 112

INFOGRAPHICS

Financial Data Innovation Lab Wants to Visually Showcase Innovation Output 116

Large Digital Media Company Needs to Shake Up Advertisers During Ad Week with Ecommerce Metrics 118

Predictive Analytics Firm Uses Infographic to Debrief Analysts 120

INBOUND MARKETING PROGRAMS

Networking Vendor Scope Visual Strategy Around Their Differentiated Offering 124

Reputation Consultancy Gets Existing Clients to Appreciate Value of Delivered Offering 125

Small Business Health Index Iconic Design Is Integrated with Infographic Content Program 126

VIDEO

Enterprise Software Animation Takes the Audience to the Sea with a Compelling Data Management Visual Animation 130

Client Virtualization Gets an Animated Journey with an Infographic Bonus 131

Enterprise Firm Lets Traffic Analogy Drive Data Management Research Key Findings Home with Animation 132

SOLUTION PICTOGRAMS

Trading Communications Platform Use Visual Pictogram to Contextualize Offering in Trading Lifecycle 136

Video Analytics Firm Applies Pictogram to Case Study Program 137

Networking Solution Company Applies Pictogram to Case Study Program 138

INTERACTIVE SOLUTION PICTOGRAMS

Social Recruiting Platform Gets Interactive Visual Explanatory Lift 142

Construction Field Software Startup Shows Efficiencies Improvement in Visual Before and After Pictogram 143

Trading Communications Platform 144

DATA-DRIVEN VISUALIZATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

Nuclear Spare Parts Division Needs to Visually Cause Their Clients to Order Spare Parts 148

An Accounting Association Celebrates 125-Year History with Tablet Data-Driven Visual Timeline 150

Healthcare Managed Service Provider Trains Its Stakeholders the Best Service Delivery Framework with Visual Interactive Card Training Game 151

STARTUPS ORGANIZATIONS VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Large Construction Projects Software Startup Engages with Interactive Pictogram 154

Meeting Software Platform Startup Shows Business Inefficiencies in Traditional Meetings 155

Innovative Startup for Movie Industry Showcase New Model 156

AGENCY ORGANIZATION’S VISUAL SOLUTIONS

SEO Agency Leverages Infographic to Drive Their Client’s Traffic 160

Marketing Automation Consultancy Automates the Understanding of Their Processes 162

Branding Agency Leverages iPad Dynamic Timeline Data Visualization 163

NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Children and Widow Charitable Organization 166

Architectural Association Showcases Value to Community 167

ENTERPRISE ORGANIZATIONS VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Nuclear Energy Spare Parts Provider Engages its Clients with Data-Driven Visualizations Tools 170

Financial Data Firm Showcases Financial Data Innovation with Infographic Series 172

Network Performance Monitoring Solution Visualizes How Process Delivers Business Value 173

TRAINING AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Managed Health Services Provider Trains Its Staff with Interactive Application 176

Trading Analyst Training Agency Leverages Pictogram to Show Competency Gaps 177

Sales Training Consultancy Shows Transition to Solution from Product 178

OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Canadian Telecommunications Provider Enables Its Clients to Appreciate Its New Platform of Integrated Data Services 182

Data Reconciliation Offering Gets Its Clients Onboard with Integrated Visual Solution 184

Video Analytics Firm Demonstrates the Social Effect of Super Bowl Ads with Data Visualization 185

SOCIAL MEDIA AND PR VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Online Real Estate Gets on the Wall Street Journal Blog 188

New Name for California Credit Union Calls for a New Infographic Social Media Play 189

RESEARCH VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Enterprise Software Vendor Showcases Innovation with a Three-Part Infographic Series 192

IT Hardware Provider Puts Viewer on Client Virtualization Journey 194

Innovative Green Startup Showcases Energy Savings Research 196

SALES AND MARKETING VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Leading Reputation Consultancy Markets Their Insight Workshop 200

Social Media Recruitment Platform Visualizes Steps in Sales 202

New Product Release in the Enterprise Risk Space Gets a Visual Product Brochure 203

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAMMERS

Nuclear Spare Parts Provider Wanted to Dynamically Visualize Spare Parts 206

Pension Fund: Security Impact on Bottom Line 207

Innovative Media Analytics Platform Unifies Online Television Metrics on One Dashboard 208

CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Showcasing an Innovative Tablet Construction Solution on a Tablet 212

Green Energy Startup Showcases Approach and Savings with Infographic 213

214 Real Estate Infographic Goes Wall Street Journal Viral 214

EDUCATION INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Visual Engagement for Literacy Learning Application 218

Tablet Vendor Shows How Tablets are the Next Generation Classroom 219

Higher Education Gets an ROI Visualization 220

ENERGY INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Dynamically Displaying Spare Parts Status 224

Green Energy Startup Showcases Approach and Savings with Infographic 225

Dynamically Displaying the Control Room in 3D 226

FINANCIAL SERVICES VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Showcases New Trading Communication Platform 230

Credit Union Drives Distinction Between a Bank and a Credit Union 231

Insurance Brokers Association Showcase Their Membership in Numbers 232

VISUAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY

New Community-Based Delivery Model Gets Visual 236

Offering Interactive Training Game to Showcase Managed Services 238

Dental Kits Distribution Visualization 239

HR AND RECRUITING INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Social and Mobile Recruiting Solution Gets Interactive and Visual 242

Social Employee Referral Program Gets a Visual Sales Slide Presentation 244

Pharmaceutical Merger Visually Translated into Improved Employee Experience 245

IDEATION AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Finance New Credit Approval Process: Storyboarding Ideation Phase 248

Innovation Lab Rolling Out New Financial Data-Driven Solutions 249

Collaborative Tool Goes Through Visual Ideation Phase 250

IT/NETWORKING INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Predictive Analytics Firm Debriefs Analysts Visually 254

Large Networking Vendor Visualizes Best Practices for Setting Up Network 256

IT Network Data Visualization: Top of Mind for CIOs 258

MANAGEMENT CONSULTING INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Reputation Consultancy Visualizes Results Against Bottom Line 262

Management Consulting Firm New Corporate Performance Model Gets Visualization 263

Marketing Consulting Firms Gets Clients Onboard with Automation Process 264

Digital Media Company Disturbs Ad Week with Infographic Series 268

Independent Film Platform Startup Shakes Things Up with Pictogram 270

Analytics Firm New User Interface Integrates TV and Online Metrics 271

PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

274 Large Pharmaceutical Merger Leverages Pictogram to Get Staff Onboard

276 Improving Prescription Delivery with Tablets

278 New Allergy Over-the-Counter Drug Gets Interactive Engagement

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Marketing Automation Firm Visualizes Its Marketing Automation Process 282

Architecture Association Poster-Foldout Shows Community Value 283

Accounting Association Visually Celebrated 125th Anniversary with iPad Dynamic Visualization 284

RESEARCH INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Research Infographic Showcases Best Practices for New Construction Network Deployment 288

Data Visualization Highlights Management Consulting Firm Research on New Business Performance Model 290

Financial Data Firm Small Business Health Index Research Report Gets Iconic Treatment 291

RETAIL AND ECOMMERCE INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Digital Media Firm Visually Shakes Things Up at Ad Week Trade Show 294

Tablet Maker Showcases How Tablets Are Reinventing the Retail Customer Experience 296

Translating Super Bowl Ads Metrics to Social Channel Performance 297

SOFTWARE INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Global ERP Software Vendor Engages with Shipping Analogy 300

Large Enterprise Software Vendor Showcases Productivity in Cloud 302

Security Software Vendor Shows Right Approach to Patch Management 304

TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Large Computer Hardware Vendor Showcase Benefits of a Converged Infrastructure 308

Demonstrating Business Value for Tablets 309

Big Data and Social Business 310

TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Alaskan Telecommunications Firm Showcases an Engineering Marvel 314

Canadian Data Services Firm Visually Launches it New Platform of Business Data Services 315

Verizon Engages Engages with an Infographic Rich Media Ad 316

TRAVEL INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS

Large IT Airport Solution Provider Infographic “Facts” Showcases Impressive Numbers and Innovation 320

Student Travel Agency Visually Demonstrated Differentiated Value 322

Cloud Services in an Airport Industry Context 323

IN CLOSING: A SOBERING AND A POSITIVE NOTE

Sobering Note 326

Index

About the Author

STEPHEN GAMBLE is the CEO and founder of Frame Concepts, a visual solutions company that provides business-driven visual solutions for some of the most innovative and demanding clients in the world.

Reviews

"As a consultant bringing transformational change to large corporations, it’s clear that there is a huge asymmetry - companies spend lots on IP, trivially little on positioning and polishing that IP. It is essentially quitting the race to meet the customer's need yards from the finish line. The ideas and the practical examples within this book is the remedy for this problem. If you have complex subject matter and an audience that needs to engage with your new approach, this book should be at your side on every project." Joe Singh, Board Advisor and Operating Executive, Grace One Advisors, Inc.

"As a seasoned enterprise sales leader I know how challenging it can be to get a prospect to engage with a new offering and see the point to the innovation below the surface. This book tackles this problem head on and shows how the value in a new offering can be visually communicated so even the toughest audience gets it and engages. Every sales and marketing leader can benefit from the approaches and industry-specific visual case studies." Alon Verdnikov, General Manager, Glassbox "More and more complex solutions are being developed through strategic partnerships between different companies and it can be a challenge to communicate the point and value of a joint solution to multiple stakeholders. This book shows how even the most complex offerings can be visually communicated so the marketplace and the staff get onboard with the vision of innovative complex solutions. More than just theory, this book provides practical guidance on how to deliver these visual projects and offers provocative visual samples across every major industry. If you need to communicate the point and value of a complex offering, you need to read this book." Kevin Dexter, Alliance Leader, Dun and Bradstreet "We are dealing with complex layers of nuanced content while communicating to the marketplace, our employees and new recruits. But at the end of the day we want our audience to get it quickly and engage with content that can be quite technical with jargon that is business-specific. By embracing the principles and learning from the visual case studies in every major industry, this book shows how one can successfully engage your audience even on the most complex content. If you have complex subject matter and tough audience to reach, you need to embrace this book." Leighton Symons PhD, Senior Vice President, Two Sigma Investments
"Innovation is all the rage and now we must face head on the problem of making sure all stakeholders get the point of the innovation and are excited about its prospects. This book delivers both the theory and the practical steps on how to take your innovation and visually engage all your audiences. The fact that its filled with colorful visuals samples for all major professions and industries from startups to Fortune 500 companies makes it a very compelling read. Innovation leaders need to wake up and embrace a visual-centric approach to communications as outlined in this book." Hao Dinh, Innovation Leader, GE "While working with the software development group we come up very large complex trading systems for financial institutions and the success of these project is largely dependent on management, business owners and partners getting onboard with the whole point of these new systems. This book clearly shows how to make the complex intuitive and simply on one page how to get to that “ah-hah” moments for tough audiences resistant to change. All technical departments need to embrace to the approach outlined in this book for their communications with their stakeholders." Peter Bulko, Fixed Income Risk and Analytics, Royal Bank Securities