We are glad to review this book, which, in a practical and simple way, presents how to use images and their power of visual communication in both your company and everyday life. Going Visual is a timely publication in which you can find information about technology, photography and communication regarding the needs of either a small, medium or large company to increase productivity and benefits, and the speeding up of decision making.

The main idea -quoting Philippe Kahn and revisited by the authors- is that an image has the value of ten thousand words, and if you add sound to it, it is worth a million words. Digital Photography has accelerated the process of creation of an image, the time of the creative process is a lot shorter and the amount of knowledge necessary to create an image has been reduced. Digital Cameras, cam-phones and the Internet can deliver an image anywhere in the world to a very broad audience.

Going Visual extensively explains which are the requirements for the introduction of any person or company to the world of digital photography and its practical application; it also provides us with a five-step strategy to plan and implement the new digital technology.

This is a very good book indeed. Several excercises are suggested, such as going shopping and taking pictures of the desired items, like clothing or furniture, and showing them to your famliy, partner or friends so you can speed up a decision to buy or not.

It also lays down several examples. Sally Carrcino, an independent salesperson of home appliances and gardening items, shares her experiences. She has put together on-line catalogs of her products, such as lamps, plants etc, so people can see them through the internet and order them if the want to do so. Another example is a real estate company that has reduced the space taken up by the hard copy inventories and achieving a better description of the houses through photos. They can be seen though the Web before actually visiting them, saving time for both the company and the clients. Photography has also reduced the time spent to solve maintenance problems of machines or factories, because several experts can be consulted without the need of their physical presence, the pictures enable them to analyse defects that could cause problems in the future.

It is quite important to create files to classify images. Going Visual proposes several ways to do so, such as catalogs, inventories, by themes, etc. eanbling us to share the information with the people that are required.

The last part of the book deals with new technologic approaches, such as long distance meetings. In a circumstance in which people are located in faraway places, such as a university, a corporation or a special family situation, people can meet up in a virtual space by using a computer screen reducing that feeling of distance. People from different parts of the world can make decisions regardless of time zone or location since they no longer need to be at the same physical space.

Alexis Gerard, founderof Future Image, a research company of convergence of images, technology information and business and Bob Goldstein, founder of ZZYZX Visual Syatems,which handles great volumes of visual technology for corporations, and President of the Altamira Group, which produces digital imaging software and is also a visual communications advisor for corporations, present us with all of their experinces regarding all the latest in visual communication.

Since visual communication has rapidly become an essential part of business, we can assure that Going Visual is a great help to solve organization and communication problems of companies, or anyone wanting to be updated in the uses and operation of the new visual technology.

http://www.zonezero.com/magazine/dcorner/goingvisual/going.html