Principle: Understandable

Communicators increasingly share health information through visual means, such as YouTube videos, photographs, infographics, charts and illustrations. Visual messages make WHO information easier to understand and can reach people of all literacy and education levels. Communicators can increase understandability of WHO’s messages by:

• presenting technical information with illustrations and images so it is easier to understand;
• clarifying sequences, timelines and relationships with drawings to show the steps in a process; and
• including images and graphics in social media content to encourage the target audience to share messages through their social media networks, increasing the dissemination of easy-to-understand content.

YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world. Approximately one third of all online activity is spent watching video content. Communicators can use WHO’s YouTube channel, which has hundreds of WHO videos, to increase knowledge and awareness of health issues.

Infographics and other visual representations of facts and figures help people quickly understand information by complementing or replacing text with images. Communicators can add graphics and GIFs (a series of short animated images) to social media messages to increase clicks and sharing. Good GIFs use relatively small amounts of data to make sharing easier. They focus on one main idea rather than a lot of detail.

Photos and videos enhance storytelling and illustrate WHO’s work. The photo library houses more than 44 000 images on the WHO intranet and 27 000 images on external websites. The use of these and other photos creates a variety of compelling products. For example, fact files (10 facts with 10 photos) present information visually and can be used for social media channels. When using the resources in the library, communicators should not change the context in which photos and videos were recorded. For sensitive situations, individuals must not be identifiable. Review WHO’s guidance and policies on selecting and using photographs and videos for more information.

Communicators can help journalists understand WHO’s work with B-roll footage that can be added to an interview or video segment. B-roll footage does not include sound, so it can be used in video with a voice-over.

Communicators can also develop and use posters, flyers, and other creatively designed printed materials to illustrate stories about WHO’s work and make very obvious and visible the benefits of following WHO policies and advice. High-quality graphic design and imagery can show public health interventions at work, enhance a campaign right where people live. Communicators can engage communities by recruiting residents to help distribute the materials.

How to make you communications accessible

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