The BOND Framework: A Practical Application of Visual Communication Design and Marketing to Advance Evaluation Reporting

Abstract

Despite growing interest in data visualization and graphically aided reporting, the evaluation literature could benefit from additional guidance on systematically integrating visual communication design and marketing into comprehensive communication strategies to improve data dissemination. This article describes the role of targeted communication strategies—based on visual communications, design, and marketing theory—in producing more effective reports. In evaluation practice, well-synthesized and translated reports often require the integration of data from multiple sources, methods, and/or time points to communicate complex findings in ways that elicit productive responses. Visual communication strategies, such as project branding or designing actionable tools with marketing principles in mind, can be applied to optimize effective reporting of complex evaluation findings. This article references a longitudinal, mixed-method evaluation of public school administrators in Michigan to illustrate the application of a systematic communication design framework to produce several graphically aided project materials and subsequent findings reports.