Concept and organizational diagrams, and layout design for various National Science Foundation grant proposals and technical newsletters, for USC, Kaiser Permanente and Iridescent.

When someone has 5-10 minutes to review an application or an article, clear graphic communication can go a long way to make sure the core ideas are understood. The main concept diagram needs satisfy the basic question asked of all proposals: “What is different or important about this work?”

Being verbally succinct, allowing headline text space to stand out, not splitting core descriptions oddly over two pages, and replacing written descriptions with diagrams are key.

The diagrams and layout design (plus organization and writing suggestions) are based on a review of the proposal as an outsider, and desire to be clear without dumbing down.