What is Visual Communication? Advantages and Disadvantages

Meaning of visual communication

The communication which is done through sight is called visual communication. It makes the most use of visual element to pass across visual content for a superb user experience. Such as facial expression, gesture, eye contact, signals, map, chart, poster etc. It also includes graphic design, illustration and animation, books, print, magazines, screen-based media, interactive web design, motion graphics, short film, visual imagery for advertising and promotion, corporate identity and packaging design etc.

Visual presentation of information and data is having an increasing impact on our practical life. In spite of having impact on our life, visual communication is not alone sufficient for exchanging information. For example, some visual communication design include indicating ‘danger’ with red sign, to indicate ‘no smoking’; we use an image showing a lighted cigarette with across mark on it etc.

So, it is a communication where the ideas and information can be read or viewed through the means of visual aid.

Advantages of visual communication

Nowadays, most of business organizations are using visual communication strategy to present information. It is becoming very popular day by day. Visual presentation is beneficial for many reasons. Some of them are as follows:

• Effective for illiterate receiver: If the receivers are illiterate, visual communication will be more effective to exchange information. They can easily understand the visual content.
• Helps in oral communication: Visual techniques can be used with oral communication. Oral communication becomes more meaningful if key elements such as graphs, pictures and diagrams are used with it.
• Easy explanation: Everyone can explain the meaning very easily. Easy explanation has made visual techniques more popular. The avoidance of critical perspectives has improved the usability of graphic elements for achieving communication goal.
• Simple presentation: Complex information, data and figures can be easily presented very simply on killer infographics such as graphs, pictures and diagrams.
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• Prevents wastage of time: Visual techniques help to prevent the wastage of time. Written and oral communication takes much time to exchange information. But number of receivers can be communicated at a time through visual methods.
• Helps in quick decision: Visual communication helps to take quick decisions. So management prefers effective visuals techniques for external communication with employees and remote teams within the organization.
• Popular: Visual communication is very much popular because people do not like much speech and long explanation rather than a chart of a diagram. The use of expository motion graphics and other killer infographics limits the need for continuous text or word usage.
• Others: Artful presentation, adds impact to the information, quicker understanding. It creates a consistent experience with use of professional infographics and visual content.

Disadvantages of visual communication:

There are some limitations of visual communication technology and they are as follows:

• Costly: The visual methods of communication are more costly than those of other methods. To draw maps, charts, diagram is costly. That is why such content ecosystem is most popular amongst large companies or businesses.
• Complex presentation: Sometimes visual presentation of information becomes complex. The receivers cannot understand the meaning of the presentation. It becomes harder to understand the connotation of visual images.
• Incomplete method: This technique is considered as an incomplete method. Visual presentation is not sufficient to communicate effectively and clearly though it can be successfully used with oral communication.
• Wastage of time: Sometimes visual techniques take much time to communicate. Whereas oral communication takes no time to exchange information.
• Difficult to understand: Difficult to understand and requires a lot of repetitions in visual communication. Since it uses gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, touch etc. for communicating with others which may not be understandable for the simple and foolish people. The efficacy of motion graphics and graphic designs requires good grasp of the content within the design concept.
• Problem for general readers: General people do not prefer to communicate through visual communication with others. Sometimes it cannot create an impression upon people or listeners. It is less influential and cannot be used everywhere. In some cases, the concept of coherence is lost and lacking.
• Others: Some other issues with the use of visual images and content for relaying information include ambiguity, situational problem, delays in taking decision.