D246 Influential Communication through Visual Design and Storytelling is a Western Governors University course that teaches you to use visuals and stories to inform, motivate and influence an audience.
WGU describes a course that first explores how visuals influence human behavior and when to use visual techniques, then teaches techniques for compelling stories that create memorable images in the audience's mind. It carries three competency units and appears in programs including the B.S. Marketing and B.S. Psychology.
The course feels creative, but it is assessed on intent. Every choice of image, color or story beat should serve a specific audience and purpose, and you need to be able to explain why.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course code | D246 |
| Level | Undergraduate |
| Competency units | 3 |
| Subject area | Visual communication and storytelling |
| Typical work | Audience analysis, story-led messages and visual designs with a rationale |
What D246 Covers
| Competency (summarized) | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Adapt communications to audience needs and motivations | Starting from what the audience wants, fears or needs to decide |
| Apply storytelling techniques | Using characters, conflict and resolution to motivate, inform or influence |
| Apply visual design techniques | Using layout, color, contrast and imagery with a purpose |
Key Concepts Explained
Audience First
Influence starts with what the audience already believes and needs. A message to busy executives leads with the decision and its impact; a message to new customers leads with the problem they recognize.
Story Structure
Most persuasive stories follow a simple arc: a relatable character, a problem or conflict, a turning point, and a resolution that points to an action. The audience should see themselves in the character.
Example: Instead of "Our scheduling app saves time", tell the story of a clinic manager who spent Friday afternoons rebuilding the staff rota by hand, missed her daughter's game twice, then switched to automated scheduling and now finishes at four. The data point (hours saved) lands harder inside the story.
Visual Hierarchy
Size, contrast, color and position tell the eye where to look first. One clear focal point per slide or graphic beats several competing ones. White space is not wasted space; it directs attention.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Audience analysis | Understanding needs and motivations | Describe who they are, what they want and what stops them |
| Story-based message | Narrative technique | Character, conflict, turning point, call to action |
| Visual design piece | Design principles | One focal point, consistent palette, readable type |
| Design rationale | Explaining choices | Link each choice to the audience and the goal |
Visual Principles Worth Knowing
| Principle | What it does |
|---|---|
| Contrast | Makes the key element stand out |
| Alignment | Creates order and a professional look |
| Repetition | Builds consistency across slides or pages |
| Proximity | Groups related items so they read together |
| Color meaning | Signals emotion or status; use sparingly and accessibly |
Accessibility counts too: sufficient color contrast, readable font sizes and not relying on color alone to carry meaning help every audience member.
Telling Stories with Data
Many D246 tasks sit in business contexts where a story needs numbers behind it. Data and narrative work best together: the story gives the audience a reason to care, and the data gives them a reason to believe.
- Choose one key figure per visual and say what it means in the title ("Returns fell by a third after the new packaging"), not just what it shows ("Returns by month").
- Use the simplest chart that fits: bars for comparisons, lines for change over time.
- Highlight the data point that matters and mute the rest in gray.
- Avoid 3D effects and decorative clutter that distort or distract.
Example: A slide shows twelve months of customer complaints. The redesign keeps one line, colors the three months after a staffing change in the brand color, and titles the slide "Complaints dropped once weekend staff doubled". The audience reads the point in seconds.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Decoration over purpose. Remove any visual that does not help the message.
- Stories without a point. End with the action or belief you want from the audience.
- Too much text. Slides support a story; they are not a script.
- No rationale. Explain why each design and story choice suits the audience.
Study Tips for D246
- Collect three adverts or presentations you find persuasive and note the story arc and focal point of each.
- Write your audience profile before opening any design tool.
- Test your design at a glance: what does a viewer notice in three seconds?
- Use free, properly licensed images and credit them where required.
How We Help with D246
Send the task instructions, rubric, your outline or draft and any feedback. A communication tutor helps you analyze the audience, strengthen the story, critique the design or write a clear rationale for your own choices.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Our help is coaching, feedback and model examples on different topics; you create and submit your own work under WGU's academic integrity policy.
Make Your Message Memorable
Share the D246 instructions and your draft deck or outline. A tutor gives feedback on story, design and audience fit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How visuals influence behavior and how to use storytelling and visual design techniques to motivate, inform or influence an audience.
It appears in WGU programs including the B.S. Marketing and B.S. Psychology.
The competencies focus on applying techniques rather than mastering a particular tool. Follow your course materials on what to use.
A relatable character, a clear problem, a turning point and a resolution that leads the audience to an action or belief.
Tie each choice (color, layout, image) to the audience's needs and the message's purpose.
No. We give feedback, coaching and examples on other topics; the project must be your own.