Nearly 700 people responded to "The Language of Visual Metaphors" exercise (Volume 2, No. 2), which invited readers to pick the abstract painting that best matched their views on four questions.

Readers readily turned the paintings into metaphors for real things and attached emotional and intellectual values to them. From a communications perspective, this exercise demonstrates that readers form opinions about a company and its philosophy based on seemingly intangible visual qualities. It shows that design, even without pictures, needs to be visually consistent with the image a company wants to convey. This spread presents a compilation of responses, along with a sampling of comments. The study was originally developed by Dr. Angela Dumas, director of research at the Design Council in the UK and senior associate of the Judge Institute of Management Studies at the University of Cambridge.

1 You have three job offers, one from each of these companies. Which one do you choose to work for, and why?

Comments about Choice A (Picasso)

"Seems to be a nice balance between the rigid rules and structure of B and the chaos of C."

"The company appears stable, but willing to take risks. Not overly flamboyant, but not afraid to toot their horn."

Comments about Choice C (Kandinsky)

"It would be refreshing to work for C. A is too dark; B is too rigid."

"Looks more intuitive,a more open environment and encouraging of creative thinking."

"Very dynamic. Fun, nice environment. They are looking for somebody very creative who likes to work a lot."

2 Now imagine that each of the paintings represents a different airline. Which one do you choose to fly with, and why?

Comments about Choice B (Mondrian)

"More conservative, follows rules. I'd trust it with my life."

"As George Carlin says, "I don't want to be on a non-stop flight. I want to land some day." B suggests order,safety. It even looks like an airport from above."

"Order and efficiency; you don't need your plane to be creative, you need it not to crash."

"Very safe, organized feel. Your reservations would not be mixed up; your luggage would arrive and you would not crash into other planes."

3 Which picture represents the organization you actually do work for?

Comments about Choice A (Picasso)

"A lot of room to move and try ideas, but with limitations. Not as adventurous as C."

"Good organization but moody."

Comments about Choice B (Mondrian)

"Corporate; no room for breaking out of the box, no new ideas, structured."

"Rigid, conservative, limited color palette, color within the lines,one route throughout the maze, strict hierarchy, heavy-handed."

Comments about Choice C (Kandinsky)

"Ever changing, fun but sometimes a little vague and confusing."

"Too busy and not organized, but still seems to work."

4 Imagine each of the paintings represents a candidate for President of the U.S. Which would you vote for, and why?

Comments about Choice A (Picasso)

"Structured, but still loose enough to try new things, take chances."

"Organized but not too conservative."

"I wouild vote for A. I like the positions of C, but they don't stand a chance in getting elected."

Comments about Choice B (Mondrian )

"Firm foundation, solid belief system."

"Not the most colorful of flamboyant, but I know exactly what I've got."

Comments about Choice C (Kandinsky)

"Offers hope and optimism."

"Free thinking, creative, takes chances."

"Capable of surviving in a chaotic political jungle."