Visual Design

Abstract

This entry reviews the scope of visual design and its influence across the health communication discipline. Text, layout, and images are all elements of visual design that have potential to increase the reach of communicating health messages to the public. Using consistent imagery or infographics for visual–verbal redundancy and understanding potential interpretations for metaphors help guide visual best practices. Visual design choices should be made to enhance the message (increase salience of what is communicated) and reach the audience (be relevant to and usable by recipients). Visual design impacts viewers' first impressions of health messages and concepts, which can be further influenced by whether the design meets users' expectations, or prototypicality. Accounting for audience information needs, culture, and media preferences, like learning the preferred channel for populations to receive information, can inform visual design for effective health communication. Communication involves multiple mechanisms for relaying information; visual design is critical to guide people as they view, look for, and observe health messages or cues that influence their health behaviors.