The best visuals are simple

Visuals don't need to be flashy. They just need to be clear.

Walking into my usual go-to for a home cooked Japanese lunch, I noticed that the owners had put some diagrams up on their signs. For those of us who speak Japanese, it is obvious what an “Una-don” is, but a pure question mark for the rest of the English speaking world.

These diagrams were simple but communicated the point: their version of una-don contained grilled eel, some sashimi and other toppings.

A similar diagram was seen on the bento as well. They obviously get asked what’s in the bento often enough.

Visuals don’t need to be complex and loud. As long as the audience understands the message, it’s an effective visual.