As a consulting firm that works with many large tech companies, we are often trying to find clear and creative ways to communicate how a service or product works. One of the most effective methods we’ve found: solution graphics.

Maybe the term “solution graphic” doesn’t ring a bell, but odds are, you’ve seen many of them, either in your current role or as a consumer. Simply put, solution graphics are an illustration that demonstrates how a solution works.

While solution graphics make something easier (even downright simple) to understand, assembling and composing the content can be downright grueling. We typically receive a mountain of complex documents that don’t highlight any business benefits, have copious amounts of irrelevant information, and are far too technical for the target audience.

In order to create a great solution graphic that is easy for your customer to understand, you have to make sure you’re working with the right content first.

Find the most important information

Solution graphics need to provide a lot of info without overwhelming the audience. While getting to the end result can be an arduous process, we've developed ways to overcome or even avoid the difficulties that often come up.

1. Focus on the benefits - This one is deceptive. It seems easy, but it's not always as straightforward as you might expect. Regardless, focusing on the benefits of the featured product or service is crucial to the success of the solution graphic.
99% of the time we work with teams that want to dive into features and explain how they work within the solution. If you're planning on showing the graphic to an IT professional, this might be the right route to take, but solution graphics are more often used to communicate the benefits of a product or service works to a business decision-maker (BDM). Learn more about focusing on the benefits to create a better solution graphic.

2. Know your audience – This one probably seems really obvious, but marketers too often get it wrong. Your target audience can drastically influence what information you decide to include in your infographic. BDMs are often looking for the direct business benefits. They want to know what business challenge your product is going to solve. A TDM, or a technical decision-maker, on the other hand, might want to know more about how your product will integrate with their current infrastructure or if it will meet security requirements. These are all things to keep in mind when you're building your solution graphic. Learn how to better identify your target audience.

3. Keep it simple - It's easy to get caught up in all of the specifics of a product or solution within a visual. Unfortunately, this can cause your solution graphic to look overcrowded and cluttered. Keep your red pen ready and be open to cutting information that isn't critical for your target audience. Doing this will get you a clearer, more impactful solution graphic.

Once you have all of your solution graphic content together, it's much easier to go to work with your graphics team, especially when you're working with a great team like Chillibreeze.

Want to improve your marketing content? Contact The Spur Group today to speak to a connected communications expert.