Practical Guidelines for Visual Communication

The organisation operates in various regions around the world. Guidelines for visual communication need to consider who tells the stories related to the organisation’s work and what is included in them. Therefore, Fairpicture collaborated with local field offices and involved individuals from different areas of the organisation, ranging from security advisors to communications personnel. This inclusive approach allows the team to endorse and align with the guidelines, ensuring that they become an ongoing and evolving process within an organisation with a global outreach.

Furthermore, the new data protection law coming into effect in Switzerland in September 2023 will bring many changes for visual communication. We have a legal obligation to adjust certain practices, such as obtaining consent for sensitive personal data, which is now mandatory in Switzerland as well. At the same time data protection as a catalyst for human rights aligns well with the human rights-based approach pursued by the organisation. Together, we have developed both, contents and a technical framework that opens up new communication perspectives.

Developing guidelines for the client took place in a complex environment. The guidelines support the client in using imagery in ways that meet the requirements of the organisation itself as well as its partners, its beneficiaries, visual creators, and the public. One challenge was to involve people from different work areas and address their various needs, ensuring that the guidelines are practical for everyone. Based on extensive discussions, Fairpicture created comprehensive guidelines with background knowledge and concise checklists for different steps in visual content production.

Practical knowledge derived from the guidelines was shared with participants in thematic workshops. This format helps to actively involve participants and enables them to learn and apply the guidelines effectively. Through interactive sessions, discussions, and practical exercises, participants gain a hands-on understanding of how to utilise imagery in line with the guidelines.