Making
Boring Chart Data Persuasive and Memorable
by Kenneth J. Lopez, J.D., President
& CEO
Q: How can you turn boring chart data into
ultra-persuasive trial exhibits that no juror will forget?
A: Arrange the data so that its shape tells your story. Animators
at Law calls this Thematic Visual Messaging.
Animators' Litigation Consultants and
Information Designers routinely use a visual learning technique called
Thematic Visual Messaging™ to help persuade juries. I want to
quickly teach you the basics of this trial exhibit technique so that
you may use it effectively in your next trial, presentation or marketing
presentation.
In the Fall of 2001, our client, the Defendant Roche, needed to counter
Plaintiff's allegations that Plaintiff did not know how a joint venture
was proceeding. In truth, there were some 40 joint venture individuals/committees
at Roche in which Plaintiff was actively involved.
Our Litigation Consultants, all of whom are attorneys, knew that a simple
trial exhibit consisting of a list of 40 joint venture names/committees
might suffice. However, this was a key point in the litigation and it
needed to be crystal clear and unforgettable in the jury's mind. So,
in consultation with our Animators at Law Information Designers, our
Consultants arranged the list of names and committees in the shape of
an eye with the joint venture project highlighted at its center.
The message left with the jury was
strong and clear: In sharp contrast to Plaintiff's allegation that it
had no idea how the joint venture was proceeding, our trial exhibits
sent the strong message that Plaintiff could clearly see and it had
to know how the joint venture was proceeding. Our consultants suggested
that defense counsel not only show this demonstrative board but they
literally say in court:
All
eyes at Roche and Igen were focused on the project.
This combination of oral testimony
and demonstrative evidence using Thematic Visual Messaging (tm) left
a powerful impression on the jury. The use of these visual teaching
techniques cannot be overemphasized as they apply to a jury or any audience
you are trying to persuade. Two statistics support this concept:
1) 65 percent of people learn visually (if you
just say it, they don't get it);
2) An ABA study found that jurors are 650 percent more likely to retain
information when visual exhibits are used in combination with information
presented orally.
To learn more about these demonstrative
evidence techniques, to have a presentation made to your firm on these
and other subjects, to request a proposal for upcoming litigation or
to discuss another visual presentation, please contact:
Tanya S. Langford, JD
sales@animators.com
1.800.337.7697 ext 122
703.548.1799 ext 122
703.548.5450 (fax)
Animators at Law is the nation's leading attorney owned and operated
producer of demonstrative evidence, jury research and animation. To
date, Animators has consulted on hundreds of significant national cases
with cumulative favorable decisions exceeding one trillion dollars.
Our clients include more than three quarters of the nation's top 20
law firms and hundreds of others. While most of our team is based in
our Washington, DC headquarters, local offices and relationships allow
us to frequently work in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Texas, Florida & Philadelphia.
