Graphics for Learning: Proven Guidelines for Planning, Designing, and Evaluating Visuals in Training Materials

Part I. Introduction to Section One: The Foundation

The two chapters in this section provide an overview of the major themes of the book. In Chapter One we begin the case for our premise that how well a graphic teaches or guides job performance depends on how that graphic functions. Whereas most people refer to graphics by their surface features such as line art or animation, we propose two additional categories of visuals based on their functions. One focuses on the communication functions of graphics. The second focuses on ways graphics support psychological learning processes. In Chapter One we offer evidence that appearances can be deceiving. That is, visuals that look very different (they have different surface features) but that serve the ...