Visual Communication In Presentations

I read a resume last week that listed 18 tools and 14 bullet points under one role. Great candidate, but after reading it twice, I still had one question: “Okay, but what are you actually good at?" And I don’t mean that negatively, this happens a lot. When you try to highlight everything, nothing stands out. Most candidates treat resumes like a catalog: Stuffing in every task, every tool, every buzzword, thinking it will impress the recruiter. But what really works is… ✅ Focus on impact, not activity ✅ One or two strong bullet points per role ✅ Highlight measurable wins, not job duties ✅ Cut vague phrases like “handled cross-functional tasks” Hiring managers don’t want to decode your resume. They want to see proof that you made things better. So ask yourself, “If I were hiring for this role, would I call this person?” If the answer is no, it's time to rewrite. #resumetips #interviewcoach #jobsearch #CV #careeradvice

Minimal Isn't Lazy. It's Precise. Stripping packaging right back can sometimes feel like a shortcut. White pack, black type, call it modern. But there's a fine line between clean and clinical, and a lot of "minimal" packaging forgets to leave a personality behind. Point of View have nailed the balance. Punchy type, playful naming. Monochrome, but anything but bland. Skincare with editorial clarity. Every detail earning its place. Hidden spatulas. Locking droppers. When you strip out colour, the structure has to work harder. Typography has to carry the tone. Proportions need to feel custom, not stock. Function becomes a design language of its own. Minimalism means knowing what NOT to add. And that's not about restraint but rigour. If your stripped-back design still looks like something off Alibaba, it might be time to revisit the brief. No noise, but is there a voice? 📷Point of View/Sam Nixon

The psychology of presentations. 7 science-backed principles to deliver your message. Most presenters focus on their slides. They are happy to give information and get through without stumbling. But top 1% communicators don’t want to play defense. They want to play offence and make sure they move people to action. What I teach my CEO coaching clients is to focus on their audience’s brain. 🧠 Fortunately, the psychology of presentations is no longer a mystery. I cover it in the opening chapter in my book Message Machine — “Revealing the hidden psychology of communications.” Here are 7 psychology-based principles that will transform how you present: 1) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞 ↳ Start and end with impact. ↳ People remember the beginning and the end — make those moments count. 2) 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐭-𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 ↳ Don’t narrate your slides. ↳ Reading text aloud while it’s on-screen splits focus and reduces retention. Use simple visuals to reinforce, not repeat. 3) 𝐃𝐮𝐚𝐥-𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 ↳ Pair your message with meaningful visuals. ↳ The brain processes visuals and audio separately. Used wisely, this boosts clarity — but irrelevant images just distract. 4) 𝐂𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐲 ↳ Clarity is king. ↳ Every extra word or graphic adds cognitive strain. Trim slides to essentials that your audience can absorb instantly. 5) 𝐆𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 ↳ Design with the brain in mind. ↳ Group elements logically. Consistency, proximity, and alignment help the brain form patterns — and improve recall. 6) 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 “𝐒𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬” ↳ If it doesn’t support your point, cut it. ↳ Fun facts or flashy visuals that don’t serve your message? They dilute impact. 7) 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐚𝐬 ↳ Use conversational language. ↳ Audiences absorb more when your delivery sounds natural. Skip jargon. Speak like a trusted guide. 💬 Which principle do you use most? - - - - ♻️ Repost to help others, too. And follow Oliver Aust for more on leadership communications. ♟️ Want to become a top 1% communicator? Reach out here: https://lnkd.in/e6ypKGEP

In #datastorytelling, you often want a specific point to stand out or “POP” in each data scene in your data stories. I’ve developed a 💥POP💥 method that you can apply to these situations: 💥 P: Prioritize – Establish which data point is most important. 💥 O: Overstate – Use visual emphasis like color and size as a contrast.   💥 P: Point – Guide the audience to the focal point of your chart. The accompanying illustration shows the progressive steps I’ve taken to make Product A’s Q3 $6M sales bump stand out. Step 1️⃣: Add headline. One of the first things the audience will attempt to do is read the title. A descriptive chart title like “Products by quarterly sales” is too general and offers no focal point. I replaced it with an explanatory headline emphasizing the increase in Product A sales in Q3. The audience is now directed to find this data point in the chart. Step 2️⃣: Adjust color/thickness I want the audience to focus on Product A, not Product B or Product C. The other products are still useful for context but are not the main emphasis. I kept Product A’s original bold color but thickened its line. I lightened the colors of the two other products to reduce their prominence. Step 3️⃣: Add label/marker I added a marker highlighting the $6M and bolded the label font. You’ll notice I added a marker and label for the proceeding quarter. I wanted to make it easy for the audience to note the dramatic shift between the two quarters. Step 4️⃣: Add annotation You don’t always need to add annotations to every key data point, but it can be a great way to draw more attention to particular points. It also allows you to provide more context to help explain the ‘why’ or ‘so what’ behind different results. Step 5️⃣: Add graphical cue (arrow) I added a graphical cue (arrow) to emphasize the massive increase in sales between the two quarters. You can use other objects, such as reference lines, circles, or boxes, to draw attention to key features of the chart. In terms of the POP method, these steps align in the following way: 💥 Prioritize – Step 1 💥 Overstate – Step 2-3 💥 Point – Step 4-5 Because data stories are explanatory rather than exploratory, you need to be more directive with your visuals. If you don’t design your data scenes to guide the audience through your key points, they may not follow your conclusions and become confused. Using the POP method, you ensure that your key points stand out and resonate with your audience, making your data stories more than just informative but memorable, engaging, and persuasive. So next time you craft a data story, ensure your data scenes POP—and watch your insights take center stage! What other techniques do you use to make your key data points POP? 🔽 🔽 🔽 🔽 🔽 Craving more of my data storytelling, analytics, and data culture content? Sign up for my newsletter today: https://lnkd.in/gRNMYJQ7

Sustainability communication is shifting toward authenticity and impact 🌍 Getty Images’ latest VisualGPS: Sustainability at the Crossroads report highlights a critical shift in how sustainability should be visually communicated. Drawing on extensive global research conducted between 2022 and 2025, the report reveals that consumers increasingly expect brands to convey sustainability narratives with realism, transparency, and inclusivity. With visual storytelling playing a central role in shaping perceptions, the report outlines evolving preferences and expectations that should inform visual strategies across industries. A key finding is that while climate change remains a top global concern, “sustainability” as a concept is not equally prioritized. Consumers respond most strongly to issues with direct and visible consequences, such as extreme weather events. As a result, visuals that depict the tangible effects of climate change perform significantly better than abstract or symbolic representations. Getty Images data shows that audiences are disengaging from imagery such as polar bears or melting ice caps in favor of more grounded depictions of real people taking meaningful action. This shift comes amid widespread skepticism. Nearly 90% of consumers believe businesses should use their resources to improve society and the environment, yet two-thirds doubt their commitment to sustainability. Greenwashing concerns are high, with 76% perceiving “green” labels as marketing tactics. In this context, visuals must do more than signal good intent, they must substantiate it with clarity and evidence. Getty Images emphasizes the need for visuals that reflect authentic, results-oriented efforts rather than idealized scenarios. The report also identifies regional differences in visual expectations. European audiences demand unfiltered depictions of environmental impact and policy response, while Latin American consumers prefer visuals grounded in reality, with a focus on collaboration and protection. As sustainability becomes a core expectation, consumers are looking beyond isolated campaigns. They want to see sustainability embedded across all facets of a company’s operations, from product design and supply chains to packaging and employee practices. Getty Images refers to this as “quiet sustainability,” where actions speak louder than declarations, and visuals must reflect this integration to build credibility and trust. The visual landscape is moving away from abstract symbolism toward real-world representation. Consumers want visuals that are inclusive, honest, and grounded in action. For brands, this presents an opportunity to align visual content with the expectations of a more informed, cautious, and values-driven audience, delivering authenticity as both a creative and strategic imperative. #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #storytelling

🚀 Do Icons Need Text Labels? Practical guide on how to test icons, when to use text labels, and when to use both icons and labels ↓ 🤔 Only few icons are universally understood → 🏠 🔍 ✏️ 🗑️ 📅 ✅ Most icons are ambiguous, have to be decoded in context. ✅ Abstract features often rely on complex abstract concepts. ✅ Similar features are often represented with similar icons. ↳ e.g. Create vs. Edit, Save vs. Archive, Upload vs. Download. 🤔 Scanning 10 words is faster/easier than scanning 10 icons. 🤔 Low-vision users often struggle with fine details in icons. ✅ Screen reader users need text label to perceive icons. ✅ The meaning of icons often vary strongly across cultures. ↳ e.g. 👕 = Customization (China), 🍔 Menu (West) = 🧭 (China) 🚫 Avoid relying on tooltips or hover for icon explanations. 🤔 Users learn unlabeled icons over time, but also forget them. ✅ Navigation panels, actions work best with icon + text labels. ✅ Always test icons for recognition and accurate interpretation. ✅ If possible, prefer icons + text, especially for complex concepts. One of the main benefits of icons is that they help us save space in our digital interfaces. Yet it often comes at the cost of confusion, zig-zaging and dancing around product sections — especially if the meaning is revealed on hover, or in a tooltip. We often assume that people remember and later recognize icons as they learn to use a product. Yet what I've been observing in testing is that for some tasks people often remember not the icon, and not the label, but the position where it's located in the interface. Don’t move icons around based on the frequency of use. If text labels don’t fit in the menu, maybe they could fit in better where they are used — next to a data table, charts or a dashboard — displayed as chips or action buttons instead. There are many ways to test your icons with your uses: 🧩 Association: Show an icon, ask to choose 1 of 4 meanings. 🖼️ Reverse: Show icon definition, ask to choose 1 of 4 icons. 🧠 Recall: Show an icon briefly, ask to explain the function it serves. 💬 Free response: Show an icon, ask to list associated words. 🗣️ Recounting: Ask users to describe the icon to a friend. 🔍 In-context: test the icon with a small UI screenshot. ⏱️ Time to Locate: Ask users to find a function using the icons. 🍌 Banana testing: replace labels with “Banana”, ask to explain. So when in doubt, add a text label — it might not look pretty, but it often gives UI the clarity that it so desperately needs. (useful resources continue in the comments ↓)

Marks & Spencer Food just set a new standard. Their new "only 1 ingredient" packaging is a game changer. Consumers are overwhelmed with choices. Every product fights for attention. Most brands try to say more. M&S did the opposite. They removed the clutter. They stripped it down. They let the product speak. This isn’t just about packaging: It’s a marketing strategy. This new packaging design speaks to that shift. Why this works (and what you can learn): 1. Simplicity speeds up decisions. → Shoppers don’t analyze. They go with instinct. → A cluttered message slows them down. → A clear message makes buying effortless. → M&S said the most with the least.   2. Transparency builds instant trust. → Consumers don’t believe big promises. → They believe what they see. → M&S removed doubt with pure facts. 3. The ‘clean label’ trend is growing. → 82% of shoppers check ingredients. → They want fewer, natural, recognizable items. → M&S didn’t just follow the trend. → They turned it into a statement.   4. Minimalist design signals premium quality. → People judge brands before they read. → A cluttered design feels cheap. → A clean design feels confident. → Less isn’t empty. It’s bold.   5. The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing. → M&S didn’t push. They showed. → They let simplicity do the selling. → They made cornflakes feel premium. That’s the power of smart branding. P.S How would your product look with just one word?

In the new world of AI, symbols are going to play an increasingly crucial role in conveying complex concepts in an easily understandable way. Among these symbols, the sparkle emoji (✨) has emerged as a surprisingly fitting representation of AI, embodying its magical and transformative qualities. From Google to Adobe, the sparkle has become a visual shorthand for AI capabilities. However, its significance extends beyond mere aesthetics, potentially playing a pivotal role in addressing transparency and authenticity challenges as outlined in the EU’s AI Act and initiatives like the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA). The EU’s AI Act, particularly Article 50, mandates transparency obligations for AI providers and users. These requirements include informing users that they are interacting with AI systems, marking AI-generated content, and ensuring that outputs are detectable as artificially generated. The sparkle emoji could play a crucial role in these transparency efforts. By integrating the sparkle icon into AI interfaces and outputs, companies can create a consistent visual cue that signals AI involvement, thereby helping to meet the transparency requirements set forth by the AI Act. C2PA aims to restore trust in digital content by developing open standards for certifying the source and history of media. This initiative, backed by industry giants like Adobe, Microsoft, and others is crucial for distinguishing synthetic content. Central to C2PA’s efforts is the introduction of the CR mark, standing for “Content Credentials.” This feature serves as a visual indicator of the provenance of digital media, enabling users to easily identify content that has been verified according to C2PA’s technical standards. Content creators using tools that support these standards can embed cryptographically signed metadata into their media, encapsulated within the CR mark. Integrating the sparkle emoji as a symbol of AI across different platforms could also help enhance transparency. In Adobe Photoshop, sparkles next to generative tools indicate AI involvement, informing users of the underlying technology. Similarly, Grammarly’s use of sparkles for text improvement options clearly signals AI-driven enhancements. By consistently using the sparkle emoji, companies could create a visual language that helps users quickly understand when AI is at work. This not only meets regulatory requirements but also builds user trust by clearly distinguishing AI-generated content from human-created content. While the sparkle emoji aids transparency, it also poses intellectual property challenges. In jurisdictions like the USA, AI-generated outputs are not protected by copyright. Publicly marking content as AI-generated with the sparkle could inadvertently place it in the public domain, posing strategic risks for intellectual property. Companies must navigate these complexities carefully, balancing the need for transparency with protection of IP rights.

Most plots fail before they even leave the notebook. Too much clutter. Too many colors. Too little context. I have a stack of visualization books that teach theory, but none of them walk through the tools. In Effective Visualizations, I aim to fix that. I introduce the CLEAR framework—a simple checklist to rescue your charts from confusion and make them resonate: Color: Use color sparingly and intentionally. Highlight what matters. Avoid rainbow palettes that dilute your message. Limit plot type: Just because you can make a 3D exploding donut chart doesn’t mean you should. The simplest plot that answers your question is usually the best. Explain plot: Add clear labels, titles. Remove legends! If you need a decoder ring to read it, you’re not done. Audience: Know who you’re talking to. Executives care about different details than data scientists. Tailor your visuals accordingly. References: Show your sources. Data without provenance erodes trust. All done in the most popular language data folks use today, Python! When you build visuals with CLEAR in mind, your plots stop being decorations and start being arguments—concise, credible, and persuasive.

There’s no better way to spot trends and patterns in Excel than Conditional Format. Yet, a lot of professionals are still not using this powerful tool. Find out a few tricks you can pull with Conditional Formatting so you can: ✔️Identify Trends and Patterns: Quickly spot trends and patterns within large datasets by using color gradients and icon sets. ✔️Highlight Key Data Points: Easily highlight important data points like top-performing sales figures or overdue tasks, making them stand out immediately. ✔️Improve Data Clarity: Enhance the readability of your data by applying specific formatting rules that make critical information more accessible. ✔️Increase Productivity: Save time by automating the formatting process, which allows you to focus on data analysis rather than manual formatting tasks. ✔️Enhance Decision-Making: Facilitate better decision-making by providing a clear, visual representation of data that can be easily interpreted.