EU trade mark 009615089

Successful communication is based on binding rules. This applies, above all, to business communication. Creativity and randomness are not what is needed either in verbal expression or in visual design. Instead, this is a matter of clear messages, systematic standardization, and reduction to the essential. Adherence to the seven SUCCESS Rules provides the basis for successful business communication.

We recommend the following seven primary rules of written business communication (e. g. reports, statistics) and verbal business communication (e. g. presentations, lectures):

More on the SUCCESS concept.

SAY:Deliver messages

Do you have something to report? Often reports are merely a collection of data with no discernible message for the audience. This is also the case for most presentations. More...

UNIFY:Standardize content

Things which are the same should look the same and things that are different should not look the same. Unambiguous design rules facilitate production and comprehension. More...

CONDENSE:Concentrate information

A high level of information density makes it possible to display complex facts. Only an overview of the entire picture permits correct evaluation of detailed information. More...

CHECK:Ensure quality
The recipients of a report expect the data in it to be accurate. But are the correct data also presented accurately? Manipulated charts are a matter of fact in business communication. More...

ENABLE:Implement concept

SUCCESS is more than merely improving on the appearance of charts. SUCCESS is an intervention in the culture of business communication; its practical implementation must be planned carefully. More...

SIMPLIFY: Avoid complication

SIMPLIFY facilitates the readability of charts and tables. Eliminating 'Noise' and 'Redundancy' frees objects in a report from avoidable background noise. More...

STRUCTURE: Group content
Reports and presentations have, in many cases, no logical structure. When things overlap and are incomplete, they make it hard to understand business communication. More...

Note
The notation concept (for example the SUCCESS Rules) by Prof. Dr. Rolf Hichert is protected by copyright law. More... (German)