Five Stages of Visual Design Model

  1. Define goal. (Decide the purpose of the training and what goals will be met.)

Inform or Motivate

Develop procedural skills.

Develop problem-solving or principle-based skills.

  1. Determine context of graphics. (Decide how graphics will be used in relation to content.)

Know your learners.

Determine the learning environment.

Accurate instructional content

Effective instructional strategies

Attractive, eye-catching graphics

Step-by-step tasks

Novices

Benefit from visuals more than advanced learners.

Advanced

Because of prior knowledge, they do not need as many graphics as novice learners.

Traditional classroom

On-site training

Computer/E-Learning

Choose a delivery medium, (a way to present visuals to audience).

Book

Computer

Flip Chart

Smart Phone

Smart Board

Wall Chart

Consider screen sizes of laptops, tablets, etc.

Consider size of phones when designing graphics.

  1. Apply principles of psychological instructional events to visual design decisions. (Design visuals that cause little or no psychological stress to the learner. Visuals should awaken prior knowledge while transferring prior knowledge and new skills into the long term memory.)

White space

Cueing

Grouping or Proximity

Visually connects ideas

Minimizes distraction

Used to emphasize information

Guides learner

Keeps learner focused on topic

  1. Identify communication function of visuals to match content types. (Determine the message that you would like the visuals to convey.)

Fact

Concept

Process

Procedure

Principle

  1. Design the visual approach. (Determine the overall mood that you would like the graphics to convey. Choose graphics that convey this feeling.)

Formal

Serious

Light-hearted

Devote more time and energy to creating graphics when teaching people who are unfamiliar with material.

Learner may control speed of videos.

Videos may be replayed.

Animations

Photographs

Line Drawings

Step-by-Step Videos

Black & White Photographs

Line Drawings

Organizes thoughts to avoid mental overload

Keeps brain from being overloaded with too much information

Young Adults or Older Adults

Older adults may need more technological assistance.

Special Needs

Seating

Size of graphics

click to edit

Good for traditional classroom setting where participants sit at desks.

Consider size of audience and proximity to chart.

Good choice for videos, or other visuals that may normally be seen on a computer screen.

Can easily be displayed in a work setting to reinforce learning after training is completed.

Step-by-Step Videos or Drawings

Informational Graphics

Step-by-Step Visuals

Informational Charts

Informational Graphics

References
Clark, R.C. & Lyons, C. (2011). Graphics for Learning: Proven Guidelines for Planning, Designing, and Evaluating Visuals in Training Materials, 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer

Special accommodations

Seating arrangement

Equipment for displaying visuals

May have limited space for visuals

click to edit

Professional and polished visuals

Visuals may need to be presented in a non-traditional manner.

Narration

Prevents mental overload that may be caused by reading text while simultaneously trying to focus on visuals.