• I agree that there are currently lost of numbers in illustrations for comparison purposes and that we might not have the right ones yet. But even if the "ideal" numbers exist, I would submit that this is not the answer to the problem of illustrations.
• Lee Dreyfus said in the general session that "communication is 90% reception and 10% transmission."
  • I believe that this focuses on the true issues.
  • It is probably true that most of the information needed is already in illustrations but doesn't get to the consumer because of their limited attention span or because of how the information is presented.
  • Though it is usually not stated so simply, in the area of illustrations, format not content is the key to improving disclosure.
  • If it is recognized that the attention span of the consumer is an issue, then the logical answer is a summary of three pages or less that includes a mandatory signature page.
    • Of course, additional information could be provided to recognize that different consumers have different needs but this approach would recognize the need for a "least common denominator."

--  Bradley E. Barks

1993 - SOA - Sales Illustrations: We Can't Life With Them, But We Can't Live Without Them!, Society of Actuaries - 20p