Paragraphs or Pictures... Which do You Prefer?

As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Yes of course it is… A great picture tells a story. But this week, I've learned a fresh perspective on this old saying because creating a diagram actually solved a problem for me. So in this case, it's "a diagram is worth a thousand words"

Here's my discovery... Last week one of our property information specialists drafted a very informative article on property taxes (for King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties) for our blog. It was thorough and explained important dates such as:

• When property taxes are due
• When property taxes may be paid
• Which payments cover which parts of the year
• Property tax proration scenarios for buyers and sellers
• How property taxes are calculated

This information may sound simple in bullet form but when I read the article I found myself having to pause and re-read it in order to visualize some of the dates and proration scenarios that would apply when a real estate transaction is involved.

So as a visual aid, I sketched out a diagram representing the year and plotted the information on it's timeline. The result was a more efficient or scannable way of visualizing the important dates in the tax calendar year and understanding the tax proration scenarios. So in contrast, when you look at the written article, it looks like 1000 words. But when you look at the diagram, it looks like 50 words and it's fun to look at.

What kind of learner are you? Do you prefer to learn from a more narrative approach? Or would you rather see a diagram or infographic?

Here's the original article: Property Tax Annual Cycle in WA

Here's the diagram: