Visuals should be oriented in similar fashion to the text in our document. The size and format of our visuals will depend upon the information we are presenting and the type of visual that has been selected. For example, a table with twice as many columns as rows requires a format with more width than height, e.g., half-page format or a foldout. Visuals should have important ideas emphatically defined. The device or devices we select should be consistent for all visuals within our document.
Color is particularly useful as an emphatic device in a visual.
It can help our readers locate information by highlighting special features, or it can assist them in distinguishing between different phases, parts, or configurations. We must be careful of using too much color, lest we make our visual look kaleidoscopic. Visuals should not impede the flow of the text. Although visuals should be placed as close as possible to their introductions without impeding the general flow of the text, we should not create unnecessary breaks in the narrative through the awkward placement of our visuals. In a good document, text and visuals must work together harmoniously to achieve effective communication.