This is part 5 of the blog series on the 5 outlooks of Environmental Forensics.

As was discussed in part 4 of the outlooks for Environmental Forensics blog, communication of the result is the most important part of the environmental forensics investigation.

Use Visual Aids to Present Science

The phrase, a picture is worth a thousand words has been used for over a hundred years regarding the notion that an image can provide quick clarity that would take many words to describe.

We also know that 65% of people learn best with visual aids while the next biggest group is auditory (30%).  So, one of the most important communication tools will be the visual component.  This applies as much to schools as public forums and courtrooms.

The Impact of Visuals

A simple visual will stick in people’s minds much longer than what you said or some complex chart of numbers.

Therefore, the 5th point of my talk was: 5. Use powerful visuals to simplify the complexity into something that is easy to understand and retain.

Learn more about the role of communication in environmental forensics in my last blog post.