The content of these images must be focused and carefully controlled. Drop shadows, distorted or mixed type styles, layering or overprinting, and other such techniques, frequently challenge the reader without cause. The most important consideration in designing statistical data is clarity, not cleverness. Arrows to connect captions to photos, arbitrary shapes floating in and out of the layout, soft-focus edges to photographs, fading backgrounds, and still more visual layering all can give the illusion of artistry, when in fact they are often substitutes for a design system that should address the important issues in an annual report's content. In the proper structure, these treatments can be effective and add meaning beyond mere cosmetics.
Color is perhaps the easiest way to stir the reader's emotions and add visual delight.
It is frequently a misused element in annual reports. Here's an area that seldom gets the true attention to detail that enhances readability. It's often arbitrarily laid out, with little attention to subtlety, consistency, or informational hierarchy. In reviewing the design for your 1995 annual report, don't mistake the trappings of design for effective visual communication. Scratch beneath the surface of the designer's work and determine if what is presented as unique, original, and creative is truly a consistent expression of the company's personality and point of view.