We’re well into September and your team is already on full speed after the summer. As you adapt back to a hectic work life, you’ll probably feel like reaching out for new tools. Today we want to make the case for any tools that could allow you to use the power of visual communication to your advantage.
The transmission of ideas using symbols and imagery is probably the oldest form of communication. And now more than ever, old is becoming new again, as more and more professionals set out to unlock the potential of visuals.
In fact, our brains can process visuals faster than they can process words. And while words are normally processed by our short-term memory, visuals tend to go directly into our long-term memory, where they are engraved.
In 2016 it’s common knowledge that visuals enhance any formal or informal presentation. This doesn’t just help listeners and viewers process information faster, it also means there are less language barriers to worry about, and less chances of running into cross-cultural misunderstandings. All this means it is ideal for remote teams or for very large teams.
A recent study by Microsoft found that our global attention span has dropped from 12 to 8 seconds in the years between 2000 and 2013. However, visual stimuli are often a powerful way to help others focus, by providing them with a motivation to continue looking into a specific topic. After all, a communicator’s job is to reach people where they are. And in 2016 it would be pretty safe to assume that wherever your team members are, they’ll almost always be able to access a screen in a matter of seconds.
We’d like to help you update your visual focus, helping it to run in real-time. Our online whiteboard gives your team everything to start. Go through our latest blog posts if you’d like to learn more about our features.