How can visual communication help scientists explain complex concepts to the public?

Working in cinema-tech, I understand and value visuals the most now than ever! Every frame and image has a story. 🎞️ And as humans, our ability to imagine makes visuals a go-to medium for expression and connection. In science communication, using visuals to communicate the realities of nature like quantum theory or even the lifecycle of plant, enables us to build a sense of connection by imagining it, eventually becoming a part of our memory! 🧠

Having worked in Sci Comm for several years, the visual communication is extremely important: Visual communication simplifies complex scientific concepts for public understanding. Graphs, infographics, and images convey information intuitively, making it accessible, engaging, and fostering widespread comprehension and interest.

While explaining scientific concepts to an unaware public, the main danger is to go too complex too quick and therefore loose your audience. Complex concepts can always be simplified through clear & colourful visuals, because they helps the reader to "project" your content on your visual. It presents another massive advantage: it helps to make links! If the reader makes links, they will feel satisfied and driven to read more and understand more. The power of visuals is clear in the scientific community through scientific papers and others, and should not be forgotten while communicating about science to the public!

I work with scientists in biotechnology daily. Getting technical can lose an audience if they’re not prepared for it. The key is to know the audience and paint a picture of the science. Use analogies. When we talk about fermentation to an audience that doesn’t quite understand how the science works, our scientists analogize it to beer or yeast in dough for pizza and then people understand. When giving a presentation, showing images or video does the ‘heavy lifting’ in communications. Up your game in presentations with adding video. It’s one of the best ways to tell your science story.

Visual communication is key in science, transforming complex ideas into clear visuals. It capitalizes on the brain's ability to recall images, enhancing memory, and goes beyond mere information dissemination. Visuals have the power to convert abstract concepts into engaging narratives, thereby enriching comprehension and catalyzing meaningful engagement. In disciplines such as biology, the use of visual representations is notably extensive for simplifying complex ideas into understandable chunks of information. Another example is research in climate science, where graphical representation of data can effectively illustrate trends and projections. Visualized data can seamlessly bridge the gap between complex data and public understanding.

La comunicación visual en todas sus formas (presentaciones, gráficos, infografías, vídeos, etc.) permite a las personas que trabajamos en ciencia/tecnología desmitificar conceptos que pueden ser complejos para el gran público. Los visuales son más atractivos que un tocho de texto y además de captar la atención, facilitan la comprensión de contenidos complicados. Al desglosar ideas complejas en elementos visuales más sencillos, esto consigue que pueda haber un proceso de aprendizaje. Y esto nos sirve para educación, divulgación y comunicación en general, además de hacer que la ciencia y la tecnología sean más atractivas y comprensibles para todos.

For several reasons, visual communication is a powerful tool for scientists to convey complex concepts to the public. Firstly, it transcends language barriers, making science accessible to a diverse audience. Visuals, such as infographics, diagrams, and animations, can simplify abstract or intricate ideas, making them easier to understand and remember. They engage multiple senses, enhancing learning and retention. Visual storytelling can evoke emotions and curiosity, driving engagement and interest in scientific topics. Additionally, in an era dominated by digital media, visuals are shareable and can reach a wide audience quickly.

Pictures are worth a thousand scientific words! * Visuals break down complex ideas into easy-to-understand chunks (diagrams, charts). * They show the invisible (atoms!) and complex processes (life cycles!). * Grab attention, make science fun, and help people remember. Use these visual gems: * Diagrams & illustrations for structures and processes. * Charts & graphs for trends and comparisons. * Infographics for complete topic overviews. * Animations for showing things in motion. Basically, visuals make science communication clearer, more fun, and more likely to stick!

Visual communication is essential for scientists to convey complex concepts to the public because it bridges the gap between technical jargon and accessible understanding. Through visual aids like diagrams, charts, and infographics, intricate theories and data become more digestible and engaging for audiences of varying backgrounds. By incorporating visuals, scientists can clarify intricate details, highlight key points, and evoke a deeper understanding, fostering broader interest and appreciation for scientific knowledge among the public.

Visual communication is one of the most effective ways to explain complex scientific topics to the public as people typically learn information in a variety of ways. Visual communication can range from images to videos and graphs. Including a variety of visual communication elements within your content will give your audience different ways to comprehend the topic in which you are communicating. Some people might be able to pick things up quicker by looking at a visual animation while others may be able to quickly understand a concept by just looking at a graph! If you have any questions please let me know!

To effectively use visual communication for complex scientific concepts, distill the concept into a core message tailored to your audience’s knowledge level. Choose appropriate visuals—infographics, diagrams, animations, or interactive modules. Simplify information without compromising accuracy, using analogies and metaphors for relatability. Incorporate storytelling for engagement and memorability. Test your visuals with a segment of your audience, iterating based on feedback. Ensure your visuals are accessible to all, including those with disabilities. This approach helps make complex science accessible and engaging, fostering greater public understanding and appreciation.

A simple method to communicate anything visually; 1. Ask why? ❓ Why would someone want to see this? Why is it important? 2. Can I explain it to a ten year old? 👦🏻 Draft your idea/concept in simple words, fit to explain a 10 year old. 3. Write a copy. ✍🏻 If it's an image, write a copy to define your vision, if its a video, then write a script. 4. Draft mode. 📝 Experts always know that their work will evolve with time. A fixed mindset will restrict flow of thought and move the focus from communication to task completion. 5. Ask for feedback. 🏗️ Feedback for creatives is subjective but matters a lot because you are putting the work in for an "audience". So always ask for feedback and adapt!

Utilizing visual communication is key to be able to effectively communicate your thoughts to your target audience. Visual communication should be used when you are trying to provide additional context or attempting to simplify a difficult concept. When utilizing visual communication, first think about the purpose it will serve(to add context, to simply a topic?) and then create it so provide the minimum amount of information to appropriately convey your topic. Plan out your visual before creating it and make sure it can be easily understood by your target audience, meaning you might have to add more or less information in your visual communication. Have any questions? Send me a DM!

Para mí, el hecho de usar visuales por sí mismo no implica que tu comunicación vaya a mejorar. La comunicación visual, como cualquier otra, tiene que ser intencional. Quizá tienes que aprender un poco sobre qué espera tu audiencia, usar elementos como colores y formas con intención. También deberás elegir formatos adecuados a este público y que cuenten tu mensaje de manera coherente, conectando emocionalmente. Deberás integrar storytelling visual y experimentar con la interacción para captar la atención y promover la acción. Cada detalle, desde la tipografía hasta las animaciones, debe alinear tu propósito con este deseo de impactar, creando una experiencia que sea memorable.

Anytime you can transform text into an image, do it! Identify the core message you need to convey to your audience and then choose appropriate visual aids, such as diagrams, animations, or videos, to support the narrative. Images have a remarkable ability to translate complex scientific concepts into simple, memorable takeaways!

Feynman diagrams are an example with which very complex concepts and processes of particle physics can be explained by drawings, which guide us when making calculations even at the academic and professional level. The same is true for Tensor Networks, which represent very long calculations in the form of graphs. There are many examples such as graph neural networks, Penrose-Carter diagrams, representations of how space-time curves, quantum circuits, etc.

Hay infinidad de ejemplos de visuales que han supuesto un antes y un después en la comunicación científica. En 2014 tuve la enorme fortuna de escuchar una conferencia de Hans Rosling en ESOF en Copenhague. Cualquiera de sus charlas (en TED tiene 8) es una clase magistral de comunicación visual y de storytelling aplicado a la comunicación científica. Si tuviera que recomendar un libro, el pequeño grande "The Decision Book", de M. Krogerus y R Tschäppeler me ha ayudado mucho a la hora de elegir diagrama para representar datos. Y hoy tenemos los memes...

Examples of visual communication in science include: Infographics: Combine graphics, charts, and brief text to summarize complex data or processes in an easily digestible format. Data Visualizations: Graphs, heat maps, and scatter plots transform large datasets into visual formats, highlighting trends, patterns, and outliers. Animations and Videos: Use motion to explain dynamic processes, such as cellular mechanisms, astronomical events, or chemical reactions. Diagrams and Flowcharts: Illustrate relationships, structures, and step-by-step processes, clarifying how components fit together.

Hay muchísimas herramientas para crear visuales atractivos para comunicar ciencia pero ninguna funciona sin unas bases mínimas de diseño gráfico. Herramientas como Canva, Genially, Mind the Graph (especializada, precisamente, en presentaciones científicas), Flourish para gráficos... son fabulosas, pero debes recordar siempre dejar márgenes, aire para que la información respire, tener un flujo lógico de la información... Un libro magnífico es The Decision Book, de Mikael Krogerus y Roman Tschäppeler, para saber qué tipo de gráfico usar dependiendo de la información que tenemos... Es una carrera de media-larga distancia. Tus primeros visuales no serán la bomba, pero te habrás puesto en el camino.

Some of the best resources for visual communication and for creating appealing images are the free databases of scientific images! Just do a quick search and I'm sure you'll be able to find something that suits your needs!

Working with scientists, I often see a common bias. Some fundamentals in their space seem so obvious to them that they forget to share the context of the problem with the audience. It is fine when you communicate with a very close group of peers in the same narrow space. But you'd be surprised how important it is to "set the stage" for anyone, even with a scientific background, who is not right in the same narrow niche. It also helps a lot with memorizing what you're communicating. Our memory tends to layer new ideas and facts on top of the context we already have. So, help your audience's memory find the right directory to write the new facts.

Dos recomendaciones: 1) Un visual complementa cualquier comunicación pero también es una comunicación en sí mismo. Depende del tipo de visual que estemos hablando debe comprenderse en el conjunto o solo. No es lo mismo una diapositiva de una presentación que una infografía. La diapo puede complementar a lo que estamos diciendo sin necesidad de volcar toda la información que sabemos, mientras que una infografía debe incorporar todo lo necesario para que se entienda por sí misma. 2) Aprende algo de diseño gráfico: empieza por recopilar otras infografías: qué tienen en común, cómo están equilibradas, qué elementos usan, cómo los usan... Una herramienta de diseño nos ayuda, pero no nos enseña a diseñar.

// Research, Write, Learn, Repeat. 🔁// 1. Research: Collect Primary and Secondary sources of information. Less data is go to begin and to form a hypothesis to work on. 2. Write: Share your learnings with your audience. Go for quality over quantity. 3. Learn: Ask for feedback. Use the Start, Stop, Continue framework to categorise it. 4. Repeat: Do it again, until you become good at it. You know that you are good at something, when you are able to share ideas and add value to your audience at the same time!

Make visuals that make sense even without an explanation. If the reader/viewer feels like your visual is hard to grasp or doesn't know where to start, the risk of loosing them is high. Add a title, colours, a clear legend, and keep it simple! I like to start building my visuals by putting ALL of the information I want to pass on it, then simplify it one concept at the time. it happens often that I create "sub-visuals" from the original one, to ligthen said original and go into more details on the side. Once done, even if you spent time on it, be critical about your work and look at it as a neophite. If you can understand the main point without knowing the topic, it's a great sign!

When integrating visual communication in science, consider the ethical implications of how data and concepts are represented. Accuracy is paramount; visuals should not mislead or oversimplify to the point of inaccuracy. Be aware of biases in data presentation and strive for inclusivity in visual design, ensuring materials are culturally sensitive and accessible to a diverse audience. Additionally, consider the sustainability of resources—opt for eco-friendly materials and digital formats when possible. Engaging with the scientific community for feedback and collaboration can enhance the quality and reach of your visuals. Lastly, keep abreast of emerging technologies and methodologies in visual communication.

Visual communication helps scientists break down complex ideas for a global audience by using symbols and diagrams that everyone can understand. This method doesn't need translation and reaches people from different cultures more effectively. Visuals serve as a universal language, simplifying complicated scientific data or theories and making them accessible and engaging to people all over the world, no matter their language or science knowledge.

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? -Visual communication helps simplify complex information - Clarify relationships or show trends like correlations - Streamline data presentation and make it easier to engage with an audience - This aids memory retention and caters to different learning styles.

When presenting visual data, it's crucial to be mindful of visual literacy and visual learning challenges. Not all audiences interpret visuals the same way, and some may struggle with graphically represented information. To ensure effective and accurate communication, consider the diverse needs of the audience and provide clear explanations and context for visual dataset. Accuracy, simplicity and ease of understanding should be the guiding principles in visual data presentation, thus making information accessible and impactful for a wider range of viewers.

From my experience, the most important, and often forgotten, key to successful and engaging science communication is: to know your audience. Be sure to study your audience prior to preparing a presentation, and adapt your visuals and language to that audience!