Check out this amazing animated graphic. Today's local paper had a full page print version, which is a compelling visual timeline of how New Orleans filled with water during Katrina. Yes, during. We never dodged any bullets. The levees gave way almost immediately.
But back to the graphic. Think about how hard it would be to convey this information in a narrative summary. You could convey the information but it wouldn't stick in people's mind very easily. The animated graphic makes it easy to understand when and how the flooding occurred.
These sorts of visual displays are not as hard to create as you might think. If you know how to use Microsoft's Powerpoint program, you could easily create something like this. Do most lawyers know how to use Powerpoint for anything beyond creating headings and bullet points? No, but they should. Lawyers who choose to attend the Tech Revival program at the Sheraton on Monday May 22nd will learn Powerpoint from Craig Ball, and they will leave with a new weapon in their arsenal: the power to create stunning visuals that make complex information easy to understand.
I've been using Powerpoint with its clickable areas for tutorials. It's really a "kiosk" type thing, but it works well for teaching people how to fill out forms, etc.
It really is a good program for a lot of different uses.
Posted by: Brian | May 19, 2006 at 05:03 PM
I just found that graphic today elsewhere! Strange coincidence.
I found it very helpful in understanding how and when the flooding occured. My boyfriend kept trying to explain it to me verbally, and because I'm not from here and I know nothing about the geography of the city, I just didn't get it.
(I grew up in New York City where the streets are numbered...New Orleans with it's named streets and avenues just baffle me)
Posted by: missbhavens | May 20, 2006 at 04:49 PM