Business graphics(Panel Session): What is it?

Much has been written about the explosive growth occurring and forecast for business graphics. Users and vendors alike are excited by these prospects. But, what is business graphics? Is it narrowly confined to slide making? Some with a broad view have suggested it is an extension of a management information system. Users search through journals and marketing literature eager to prove a salesman's claim that “a pretty color picture is really worth a thousand words” or at least several pages of numbers in a computer printout. Vendors seek the clues to developing a product strategy that will allow them to cash in on the forecasted shipments. One study [1] indicated 58,000 graphic terminals will be used in business graphics applications in 1986 sales, including computer graphics—capable personal computers, and dedicated computer graphics systems. This panel will present the thoughts and views of four business graphics practitioners—one associated with a large computer company, another a user from a large industrial concern, the third associated with an independent software company and the last, an industry consultant.