My top two most read blog posts this year were: number 1: a ‘how to’ flow chart, and number 2. a look at how social media can help public servants be less evil.

Both are quite visual: they each include charts that make a point with more impact than lots of words.

I had a look back at my tweets that were most shared this year and noticed the lots of things I’ve enjoyed included a great visual too.

Here are my five favourite visuals I shared on Twitter this year (and what I think they say or what we in the public sector can learn from them).*

1.The Election

The Election http://t.co/EIt0CvGQEv #localgov #ukip #democracy pic.twitter.com/620kwofJQ8

— Helen Reynolds (@HelReynolds) May 1, 2014

Public sector organisations need to show political impartiality so they couldn’t have shared this (not with a #ukip hashtag anyway!).
But it’s a a simple lesson in sharing punchy visuals that remind citizens that they can affect change.
I hope to see this inspire councils into creating messages and memes that are shareable because they strike a chord with people who want to get involved in democracy.

2. University Website

True for all sorts of corporate websites #ux http://t.co/AIjEA5tqAV pic.twitter.com/ANmY0CnMwI — Helen Reynolds (@HelReynolds) October 5, 2014

Public sector websites should be useful and citizen-focused first.
People have usually gone there for a reason, looking for specific information, often via a search engine.
Before you show off and get snazzy, get the basics right and save people some hassle.

3. A note from the police to the people of Newport

What a nice note to #Newport from @HantsPolice (photo by @caerleontownfc) Thanks for the cakes, sweets & cups of tea pic.twitter.com/Yks4gn8KRS

— Helen Reynolds (@HelReynolds) September 5, 2014

Do you know the best way to increase your reach? Want to get shares, favourites and likes on social media?
Do cool stuff in real life. Be sweet. Be grateful.
People will notice and show you love online. No dark arts, social media gurus or engagement tricks necessary.

[Update 9/01/15: See also, this great New Year initiative from Timpson which attracted a lot of love and respect online.]

4. Finding your purpose

This venn (via @Frank_Giustra) is ACE & I’m going to use it as the basis for my plan for 2015 pic.twitter.com/AplgQsxTeE — Helen Reynolds (@HelReynolds) December 29, 2014

The public sector is having a hard time with budget cuts, job losses and increased pressures to provide services.
Staff can lose sight of what they’re there to do and what they want to do.
It can be stressful when we don’t know our purpose and when we get bogged down in the day to day ‘stuff’ at work, we can produce poor work that feels like it serves little purpose.
I thought this was an excellent tool to quickly reflect on what work we strive to do.

5. How Google works

Best slides I’ve read in years: ‘How @Google Works’ by Eric Schmidt http://t.co/Gdlr4DmMQo pic.twitter.com/QTEADsB9eX — Helen Reynolds (@HelReynolds) October 26, 2014

Why not learn from other sectors? Why not aim to be as efficient as one of the most admired and innovative companies on the planet?
Have a look at Eric Schmidt’s slides if you click on one link in this post.
It’s an engaging and simple breakdown of how a modern organisation operates and new model for leadership today.

There we are, some of my favourite tweets with visuals from 2014. Cheers for reading. Here’s to more learning, sharing and chuckles in 2015.

* This post is a bit me, me, me – with my tweets and what I said. Sorry about that – it’s just easier to remember and find what I tweeted than pick out the best of the whole of Twitter. Will be more considered in 2015!