You’re struggling to communicate your ideas. How can you create diagrams that speak for themselves?

1 Why diagrams matter

Diagrams are visual representations of information that can help you convey complex or abstract concepts more effectively. They can also help you organize your thoughts, identify gaps or errors, and simplify your message. Diagrams can appeal to different learning styles, engage your audience, and enhance your credibility.

3 How to design a clear diagram

When you’ve chosen the type of diagram, it’s important to design it in a way that makes sense and looks appealing. Start by using a logical structure and a consistent layout. Arrange your elements to show the relationships and hierarchy of your information, and use the same style, color, and font for similar elements. Additionally, labels and legends should be used to explain symbols and abbreviations. Make sure they are concise, accurate, and readable. Legends can also define the meaning of colors, shapes, and lines. To create balance and emphasis, use white space and contrast. Avoid overcrowding with too much detail or too many colors; instead use white space to separate elements and create a clear flow. Contrast can be used to highlight the most important or relevant parts of your diagram.

4 How to test and improve your diagram

Before sharing your diagram with others, it's important to test and improve it. Review your diagram for accuracy and completeness to ensure it reflects your idea and data correctly, without any unnecessary or misleading information. Get feedback from someone unfamiliar with your idea or data to identify your main point, key elements, and logic. Make adjustments based on the feedback to address any issues or gaps revealed. Simplify, clarify, or emphasize elements as needed, ensuring the diagram still meets your goal and audience's needs.

5 How to present and share your diagram

When presenting and sharing your diagram, you should introduce it and explain its purpose. Give your audience some context and background for your diagram, so that they understand what it is, why you created it, and what they can learn from it. Take them through your diagram and point out the main points. Use transitions and connectors to show the flow and the connections of your information. Invite your audience to ask questions and give feedback, so that you can use their input to improve your diagram or idea in the future.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?