Visual and Virtual
Communication
• Definitions of both of Visual and Virtual Communication
• Types of images
• Purpose of images
• Virtual meaning
• Asynchronous communication
• Synchronous communication
• Factors of Communicating with virtual communicators
• When communication occurs, it
happens in one of three ways: verbal,
nonverbal and visual.
What is visual communication?
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Imagine that you're on vacation in a foreign city, and you
get lost while driving. If you were at home, you could stop
and ask someone for directions. But here, you don't
speak the language very well, so asking directions won't do
much good. Instead, you can rely on a map, using
landmarks, routes, and familiar signs, which successfully lead
you back to your hotel. In this scenario, you have found
your way back almost entirely through visual communication.
Visual communication involves passing information to people through
animation, objects, models, graphs, maps, tables, photographs,
videos, drawing, diagrams signs and posters. However, to achieve the
desired results, a visual Communication strategy should be designed
keeping the organizational objective, communication goal and audience
demographics in mind.
What would you remember more of?
The paragraph or the picture?
Visual Communication
is a process of sending and receiving
messages using images.
VISUALCOMMUNICATION
Visual types of communication include:
Signs, maps or drawings as well as color or graphic design.
These typically support verbal communication, and they help
to make a point.
Visual aids can help a speaker remember important topics,
give the audience something to look at, and generally help
convey the message being presented. Effective use of
visuals makes a difference.
Thepractice of using visual elements to convey
ideas, information, and emotions."
Key Examples:
Traffic signs (universal symbols)
Infographics (complex data simplified)
Memes (cultural commentary through images)
A picture is worth a thousand words. Isn’t it?
Importance of Visual Communication
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What are the benefits of visual communication?
Greater demand and receptivity
Humans are more receptive to visual content. According to a social
science research network, 65% of people are visual learners
making it one of the best ways to deliver messages.
Around 40 percent of learners respond better to visual
information than text alone. A study by Adobe found that
Facebook posts with images produce 650% higher engagement
than regular text posts.
Saves time
Visual communication saves time by relaying information
faster. The brain processes images 60,000 times faster than
texts.
Improved retention
Human brains receive 90% of all information as visual chunks,
and they remember 80% of what they see and 20% of what
they read. A study conducted on active learning showed that
10-20% of the participants were able to remember spoken and
written information while over 50% of visuals and images
were recalled.
Which ad holds your interest?
A survey showed the one on the left had more lasting impact.
We may pay more attention to imagery that is:
Easy to read, is relevant to us in some way or has some
emotional impact.
Watch this Video
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Many of us depend on the information we get
from sight.
But sight is dependent on light. Without it, we
cannot see .
We refer to light as that which provides
information as well as enlightenment…
“let me shed some light on the matter”
Light in an image can add information that
influences how we read the image.
Think of all the visual messages
you have experienced – and what is
your list of memories… what do
you remember and why?
You attached meaningfulness to them -
your brain processed the information
and remembered it as being important to
you.
You process information directly via
sensory experiences, via your own mental
activity (imagination, etc) and via
facilitated imagery (print or screen – tv,
computer, movies).
The earliest attempts to record and
send messages depended on making
pictures.
All the signs of writing were based on pictures-
writing that is clear in character.
In time, words came to be expressed in signs.
Images are used to motivate, inform and entertain.
It is important to understand the purpose behind the use of images in
communication.
We learn to read different types of imagery.
Check out these examples
Virtual Meaning
• It refers to something that does not physically exist, but appears too
Communications Technologies Available
Technology allows us to easily connect with people worldwide
Older ones: Newer ones:
1. Telephone 1. Texting
2. Print 2. X (Twitter)
3. Voicemail 3. Facebook
4. Fax 4. Instagram
5. E-mail 5. Skype/FaceTime
6. Videoconferencing
Future Technology
Holographic Communication
PORTL CEO David Nussbaum live HoloPortation
demonstration
Factors of Communicating with virtual
communicators
➢ Are they mobile or in a fixed location? What
technology do they have available?
➢ What resources do they have available to maintain
their technology?
➢ Are there technological limits in the area?
➢ How much information do they need?
➢ What kinds of information do they need?
➢ How often do they need to be communicated with?
➢ What is the environment in which they work?
• Is it secure?
• What are the distractions?
• What time zone are they in?
Virtual Communication
Information, communication, & action, facilitated by new
information technologies, where contents, intentions, or
actors may be nonexistent, replaced, or created-
intentionally or unintentionally.
Technology-facilitated communication that takes place
asynchronously (such as through a fax, voicemail, e-
mail, texting, or social media such as Twitter and
Facebook or via electronic discussion groups)
Asynchronous communication
It doesn’t require a receiver be directly present to receive the
communication
Because there is no opportunity for instant questions or
feedback, the sender must include all the details needed by the
receiver to fully understand the message
Synchronous communication
• The sender & receiver present are at same time
• Because there is opportunity for instant
feedback, the sender and receiver
constantly discuss the level of detail required
for the message to be fully understood
Real Communication
• “Real” communication:an exchange of ideas
that takes place synchronously (in real time)
• Such as through face-to-face communication,
a telephone call, videoconference, or
electronic chat room.
Motivation Questions
• What types of “noise” might affect with message
communication, delivery, and understanding when
using communications technologies?
Motivation Questions
• What do you consider the primary advantages of
synchronous contrasted with asynchronous communication?
