publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/395170
DATA VISUALIZATION FOR LEGAL: WHY YOU NEED IT AND HOW TO START 1. Consider the Target Audience: Always be mindful of the target audience. More specifically, be mindful of preferences of the people you are presenting the information to, especially preferences of key decision-makers. Ask yourself why you present your data to that particular group of people. Then ask yourself what they expect to hear from you and what you really want them to hear. What steps do you want them to take after the presentation is concluded, and how do you convince them to do so? In addition, it is beneficial to know what your audience finds useful, the level of experience the group has on the topic of your presentation, any culture-specific idiosyncrasies you should be aware of, or whether you have to make special adjustments to accommodate any special needs or requests. 2. Tell a Story: A visual should deliver a simple message relevant to the story you want to convey. It should emphasize key aspects that really matter. Make sure to use the appropriate format for the intended purpose and the information communicated. If the task is too complex, break it down into more digestible pieces; don't be afraid to simplify. The visual you are designing should answer a relevant question. 3. Deliver the Data Clearly and Efficiently: A visual has to be clear in order to be efficient in delivering the information. It has to be free of clutter, contain no unnecessary data and be easy to follow. We have all seen at least a few visuals in which authors tried to fit too much information into a single slide, image or graph. You only have to experience it once to realize that too much noise destroys the purpose of the visual and will likely undermine your audience's confidence in your expertise. A good combination of a visual with a bare minimum of text works well in a graphic. Supplemented by a well-practiced narration, the combination works very well in presentations. Be very selective about what you present, and how. Let the visuals speak with you. 4. Make It Aesthetically Pleasing: If you are a professional designer, you already know more than I do on the topic. If you have one on your team, you are lucky, and I envy you. For all of us who checked the "none of the above" option, there are plenty of readily available tools out there, including built-in templates in the tools you already use, installable or online tools of varying complexities, video and text tutorials, blogs, and many borrowable examples on the Web. Make a few Web searches, filter out the junk, and save the stuff you really like. ILTA WHITE PAPER: OCTOBER 2014 WWW.ILTANET.ORG 15 Information retention for a presentation using both oral and visual means can be as much as six times greater than when the presentation is done by spoken word alone.