Persuasive visualizations build upon common cultural
expectations. They develop and distill a story theme into its key
components and land on the right image to capture its essence. That image
will compel attention and belief if it fits the story being told and if it
is immediately accessible to ordinary common sense (making it
'self-evident').
The most salient image is the by-product of
cultural and cognitive understanding integrated with aesthetic craft and
technical know-how. This is the art and science of visual persuasion. This
is the formula for turning well designed information into strategic
meaning.