COMPUTER GRAPHICS AS AN AID TO BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS
| Date | 01 September 1988 |
| Pages | 9-10 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb057519 |
| Published date | 01 September 1988 |
| Author | Nick Winton |
| Subject Matter | Economics,Information & knowledge management,Management science & operations |
COMPUTER GRAPHICS AS AN AID
TO BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS
by Nick Winton
Concept, Bourne, London
Introduction
Communication skills have always been one of the most vital arts of management. The ability of managers
to present information efficiently plays an important role in achieving their objectives. Most executives at
some stage in their careers will be called on to make a presentation. They will not necessarily be in the sales
or marketing disciplines; the finance department, training or personnel departments all have a requirement
for the effective presentation of information.
It is now well recognised that information is more easily
understood, accepted and remembered if it is both seen
and heard. For this reason, the best communicators
rarely rely on their verbal powers alone; they will have
recourse to a whole gamut of visual aids. Mercifully,
the days of hand-drawn diagrams and typewritten
sheets handed out, rather clumsily, to the very people
that one is trying to impress are long gone. The
importance of a professional presentation is now almost
universally recognised — and rightly so. Any
presentation should be worthy of the company in whose
name it is made. It must reflect accurately the image
and status of the company, and the quality of the
product or service that it offers. From a motivation point
of view, it is just as important for an internal presentation
to reflect accurately the image and standing of the
company. It then serves to reinforce, in the minds of
the employees, the belief that they are indeed working
for the right company and can be proud of being a part
of it.
A variety of visual aids are available to managers today,
but probably the most cost-effective method of
improving the quality of a presentation is the use of
35mm slides. The advent of computer graphics seven
years ago revolutionised 35mm slide production. The
system used by market leaders such as Concept, the
first computerised slide production bureau to be
established in the UK, evolved from NASA's requirement
for flight simulation in its space programme.
The software was recognised as having enormous
potential,
and so was rewritten and adapted for
commercial applications. As a result, business graphics
are now more sophisticated and complex than would
have been thought possible seven years ago. Even more
importantly, the advanced technology allows for the
production of high-quality slides at a fraction of the cost
of conventional methods.
The current development in computer-based graphic
systems has revolutionised the market for colour
artwork, not just 35mm slides. It is as fundamental a
change as the introduction of word processors into the
office environment. If the move towards computer
graphics is thought of as a word processing revolution
— but with pictures, it gives a fairly clear picture of the
current state of the artwork industry. Computer graphic
systems now provide the most up-to-date method for
the production of colour artwork.
By using a system such as Genigraphics, an unlimited
range of colours and a wide range of typefaces can be
produced.
New visuals can be created and thousands
of images already stored in the systems library can be
recalled.
With this system, it is possible to shift
emphasis, highlight, shadow, bend, flare and rotate
lettering,
with the end results so pinpoint sharp that they
can be used as artwork for printing. Last-minute
alterations or updates can be instantly accommodated.
Computer Graphics systems slides are complex but
production can be divided into four distinct sequences:
• Image Creation — This sequence covers the
typesetting, origination of drawings, and
incorporation of existing corporate graphic
identities and logos. It is at this stage that the
basic format and colour schemes for the slide will
be decided. All this information is placed on a
computer screen by a specially trained graphic
artist sitting at a graphic console.
• Image Manipulation — Now the artist will begin
to manipulate the images on the screen to ensure
that the balance is right. The system allows for
any area of the screen to be magnified so that
total accuracy of shape and size can be assured
and the artist may wish to fade colour out or add
in additional colours. At this stage, a library image
may be incorporated into the design. The artist
can move images around freely until the details
of the design have been satisfactorily completed.
Once the design is finished and all the required
images are on screen in the desired settings, the
artist stores all the information on a disk. When
all the commissioned images are safely stored on
the disk, it can be output to a low-resolution video
hard copy through a Tektronix printer.
• Editing — The third stage is to incorporate any
amendments or updates that the client may
decide on, having studied the black and white
proof copies. Amendments are simple, quick and
IMDS
September/October
1988
9
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