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Latest designs
The Big Mismatch: Asia needs to train workers for the jobs of the future. Is vocational education the solution?
Formore than 10 years Stephen Naromal ran real estate and construction companies in the philippines, and hiring people was part of his role. One of the most memorable aspects of his work then was the number of applicants he rejected because of the divergence between their skills and educational backgrounds and what jobs required.
Good design = good ROI
We seldom have the data to prove that good design provides a good return on investment. So when a client gave us the evidence and encouraged us to share it, we jumped at the chance.
The ultimate secret to good writing
What’s the ultimate secret to good writing? A transition that allows readers to move smoothly from a previous topic to a new one.
Transitions can be as simple as starting paragraphs with ‘Now’ or ‘But’ and ‘And’ (some still argue that’s doubtful grammar, but the corporate communicators’ bible, the Australian Government Style Guide, grants permission. And it’s an effective bridge).
Infographics: the answer to information overload?
Infographics – they’ve been called the language of the internet, visual essays or data visualisations, and they’re spreading rapidly. Thanks to information overload and the advent of digital and mobile technology, more and more readers these days ‘skim the surface’ rather than dive into narrative. Writers and designers are being challenged to cut down on unwieldy text and use their skills to tell visual stories that are easily and quickly understood.
Five tips for better speeches
The first speech I ever wrote was for a chairman of a bank. I’d written the letter to shareholders in his annual report and he asked me to prepare his speech for the annual general meeting. I accepted with alacrity. When the day of the AGM arrived, I snuck into the back of the hotel function room where it was being held and settled down to listen to him deliver my pearls of wisdom.
Animation!
Another way to tell a story.
Subscribe to our FREE e-newsletters on writing and design. You’ll find answers that could lead to vastly improved communications and a more efficient organisation.
Ask Amanda
Q. An announcer on television last night spoke about a soccer game, saying ‘the crowd was disruptive’. What’s the right way to go with words like crowd that sound singular yet describe a group of people? In this example should the broadcaster have used were instead of was?
A. This can be tricky because there are no hard and fast rules for collective nouns. Collective nouns can relate to people: jury, committee, crew, team, class; animals: brood, pride, flock, herd, colony; or inanimate objects: bundle. For example...
“BWD once again this year supported Lion with the development of our Sustainability Report. We benefited from their collaborative style, valuable advice and holistic approach by considering our entire sustainability communications strategy. This year we found the process much more efficient with BWD doing the combined editing and design of the report. We are very pleased with BWD’s support and the positive feedback we have received about our Report, and we have thoroughly enjoyed working with the team.”
Anika McManus, Group Sustainability Leader; and Elisabeth Young, External Relations Advisor, Lion
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