This discussion gives you the opportunity to practice using simple tools available in Microsoft Office or free online programs to make visuals appropriate for business documents. This will help you prepare to make visuals for your presentation and your final business report.

Directions:  

Read the scenario in problem 16.8 (pg. 547) in which a local food bank needs some graphics to enhance a request for better funding. Using some of their data, create one effective visual they could use to make their appeal. You don’t need to represent all the data given. Choose one or two pieces of information you think you could represent effectively, and think carefully about the best kinds of visualizations for the point you are trying to make. Use the advice in Ch. 16 and Unit 6 lecture to help you compose your image.

SCENARIO BELOW:

You are volunteering for a local food bank and the director has asked for your assistance. The food bank may be able to receive some state funding if the director can assemble a persuasive proposal about the need for the food bank. The director gives you the following information and asks if you can create data displays for it.

Food bank is open four days a week.

One director and four volunteers.

Food bank feeds 100–150 families per week.

Of those families, 95% have children under 18.

Often, food will run out by the end of Thursday.

If given more support, the food bank could feed many more families in need (the goal would be 250), and could hire more staff members.

As your instructor directs,

a. In a small group, identify and discuss possible data displays for the proposal.

b. Individually, create one (or more) data display using the given data. Write an e-mail to your instructor where you justify your design choices.

c. With a small group, create three data displays that persuade the state agency of the need for funding. Present the data displays to the class in an informal presentation where you justify your design choices.