The Visual Craving: 13 Reasons Visualisations Win

At a glance Explore how our brains are wired for visual content, and how it aids in processing information rapidly. Learn 13 reasons why visualisations are your key to effective communication.

We gotta believe it to see it. We are visually wired as people. It takes our brains only 150 milliseconds to process a symbol -- compare that with reading this sentence. But this wiring really helps us. We are dealing with information overload. We receive over five times more information today than we did in 1986. That means visuals help us comprehend all that info faster and allocate it to appropriate memory storage. For example, we only read about 28% of the words on a website the first time we visit. We're scanning the words and processing the images first and foremost to determine if we should invest more time into it. Putting text and data into visualisations increases what we retain and helps us process that info at lightning speeds.

So, as we continue down this path, ask yourself if you are presenting your information in the most compelling and engaging way. If not, we can help. *Infographic and data courtesy Neomam.com.

Nicky Yates Published on December 4, 2015 8:00 am

Frequently Asked QuestionsFAQs

How fast does the brain process visual information?

The human brain can process a visual symbol in just 150 milliseconds. This is significantly faster than the time it takes to read and comprehend text.

Why are visuals better than text for communication?

Visuals help us process information faster and retain more of what we see. Since we only read about 28% of words on a website during our first visit, visual content is processed first to determine if we should spend more time engaging with the material.

How much more information do we receive today compared to the past?

We receive over five times more information today than we did in 1986. This information overload makes visual processing even more important for quickly comprehending and storing data.

What percentage of website text do people actually read?

People only read about 28% of the words on a website during their first visit. Instead, visitors scan text and process images first to decide whether the content is worth their time.