Imagine You Are A Manager For A Public Agency. ✓ Solved

Imagine you are a manager for a public agency. As part of

Imagine you are a manager for a public agency. As part of the new-hire training you run for new public administrators, create an infographic that explains the concept of power. Do the following: 1) Research infographics: their purpose, uses, and best practices; choose a software platform to create your infographic. 2) Create an infographic representing the different forms and sources of power for public administrators, and clearly show how these forms and sources affect public administrators and the duties they perform. 3) After creating the infographic, write a brief explanation of why you designed the infographic the way you did. Use a minimum of two scholarly resources to support your explanations. Provide documentation of sources in APA format.

Paper For Above Instructions

Introduction

This paper summarizes the research and design decisions behind an infographic intended for new public administrators that explains the concept of power. It describes the purpose and best practices for infographics, selects a software platform, outlines the infographic’s content structure (forms and sources of power), explains how those powers affect administrators and their duties, and justifies design choices with scholarly support.

Purpose and Uses of Infographics

Infographics convert complex information into visual narratives that increase comprehension, retention, and engagement (Cairo, 2013; Tufte, 2001). In a new-hire training context, an infographic functions as a concise orientation tool: it introduces key concepts, provides quick reference, and supports subsequent discussion or deeper learning modules (Mayer, 2009). Infographics are especially effective when they present taxonomy, cause/effect relationships, or stepwise processes—making them well-suited to explain different forms and sources of power and their operational impacts in public organizations (Dahlstrom, 2014).

Best Practices for Infographic Design

Best practices stress clarity, information hierarchy, minimal cognitive load, accurate data-to-ink ratio, and accessibility (Tufte, 2001; Cairo, 2013). Use a clear headline, grouped sections with consistent iconography, a visual hierarchy that guides the eye, high-contrast color palettes, readable typography, and succinct labels (Krum, 2013; Nielsen Norman Group, 2017). Narrative flow—presenting concept, examples, and practical implications—helps viewers apply learning to on-the-job duties (Mayer, 2009).

Chosen Software Platform

I chose Canva (or a similar drag-and-drop tool such as Piktochart) for the infographic because it balances ease-of-use, template quality, and accessibility for non-designers. Canva supports consistent typography, color palettes, and icon libraries while exporting high-resolution images and PDFs suitable for print or LMS upload. For organizations that require advanced data visualization, a platform like Adobe Illustrator or Tableau could be employed, but for new-hire training contexts, Canva optimizes rapid iteration and stakeholder review (Cairo, 2013; Krum, 2013).

Infographic Structure and Content

The infographic is organized into four horizontal bands for quick scanning: (1) Definition and purpose of power, (2) Classic bases/forms of power, (3) Organizational sources and modern variants, and (4) Practical effects on duties and behavior. Key elements include:

  • Definition: A concise definition at the top: “Power: the capacity to influence outcomes and behavior in public organizations.”
  • Forms of power (classic): Legitimate (positional), Reward, Coercive, Expert, Referent (French & Raven, 1959). Each form is paired with a simple icon and a one-line example relevant to public administration (e.g., “Legitimate: supervisor authorizes permits”).
  • Sources of power (organizational): Structural/positional authority, informational power (control of data), network power (relationships and coalitions), legal/regulatory authority, and discretionary street-level power (Lipsky, 2010; Pfeffer, 1981).
  • How power affects duties: For each form/source, a short callout explains the practical duty-level effect (decision-making speed, enforcement discretion, resource allocation, stakeholder negotiation, public communication) and risk mitigation (transparency, checks and balances).
  • Red flags and good practices: Small visual checklist for ethical use, accountability practices, and collaboration cues (Rainey, 2014).

How Forms and Sources Affect Public Administrators and Duties

Different powers change administrative behavior and role expectations. Legitimate power structures workflow and formal decision authority (Rainey, 2014). Expert and informational power influence technical decisions and policy interpretation; administrators with expert power often lead program design and technical review (French & Raven, 1959). Reward and coercive powers impact compliance, enforcement, and personnel management. Network and coalition power shape interagency collaboration and resource negotiation (Pfeffer, 1981). Street-level discretion—where frontline administrators interpret and apply policy—directly affects equitable service delivery and public trust (Lipsky, 2010).

Design Rationale

Design choices map to cognitive and usability principles: a strong visual hierarchy and headline reduce initial processing time; grouping related powers and pairing them with icons leverages dual-coding theory to enhance recall (Mayer, 2009). Color is used to signal categories: blues for formal/positional power, greens for expertise/information, and oranges for discretionary/network powers—ensuring consistent semiotics across the infographic (Tufte, 2001). White space and minimal chartjunk preserve the data-ink ratio and prevent distraction (Tufte, 2001). Short examples and duty-focused callouts operationalize abstract concepts so new hires can recognize manifestations of power in daily tasks (Dahlstrom, 2014).

Accessibility, Distribution, and Training Integration

The final artifact will be exported as an accessible PDF and an LMS-optimized PNG. Text size adheres to legibility standards; color contrast meets WCAG recommendations to support visually impaired users. The infographic is intended as a prework handout before a facilitated workshop and as a job-aid for reference. Embedding prompts for discussion (e.g., “Identify a recent decision where informational power mattered”) converts passive reading into active learning and helps integrate the graphic into training practice (Mayer, 2009).

Conclusion

This infographic synthesizes theory (French & Raven, 1959; Pfeffer, 1981) and visual design best practices (Tufte, 2001; Cairo, 2013) to help new public administrators quickly understand how different forms and sources of power operate and affect daily duties. The platform choice (Canva) supports rapid iteration and broad accessibility for organizational training. The design emphasizes clarity, examples, and actionable guidance so that administrators not only recognize types of power but also apply ethical, transparent practices in their roles.

References

  • Cairo, A. (2013). The functional art: An introduction to information graphics and visualization. New Riders.
  • Dahlstrom, M. F. (2014). Using narratives and storytelling to communicate science with nonexpert audiences. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(Supplement 4), 13614–13620. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1320645111
  • French, J. R. P., Jr., & Raven, B. (1959). The bases of social power. In D. Cartwright (Ed.), Studies in social power (pp. 150–167). University of Michigan.
  • Krum, R. (2013). Cool infographics: Effective communication with data visualization and design. Wiley.
  • Lipsky, M. (2010). Street-level bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the individual in public services. Russell Sage Foundation.
  • Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  • Nielsen Norman Group. (2017). Infographics: Guidelines and examples for great infographics. Nielsen Norman Group. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/infographics/
  • Pfeffer, J. (1981). Power in organizations. Marshfield, MA: Pitman Publishing.
  • Tufte, E. R. (2001). The visual display of quantitative information (2nd ed.). Graphics Press.
  • Rainey, H. G. (2014). Understanding and managing public organizations (5th ed.). Jossey-Bass.

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