A functional proposal graphic communicates complex information clearly without requiring design expertise. The best proposal graphics focus on a single clear message, use consistent visual elements, follow natural reading patterns, and can be quickly understood by evaluators—prioritizing clarity over visual complexity.
You're staring at a blank PowerPoint slide. The RFP response is due in 48 hours, and your section needs a graphic to explain a complex transition plan. You're not a designer. You never will be. But somehow, you need to make this work.
Sound familiar?
Most proposal professionals share this reality: we're asked to create visuals that clarify complex information, but we don't have design backgrounds, unlimited budgets, or time for a crash course in Adobe Creative Suite. What we need isn't design excellence—it's functional effectiveness that improves our win rate.
Here's a proven framework that actually works when you're under pressure and under-resourced.
Start With Your "So What?" Statement
Before touching any design tool, answer one question: What's the point of this graphic?
Not what information it contains. Not what process it shows. What should the evaluator understand after looking at it for five seconds?
We've seen teams create elaborate org charts that miss the fundamental message: "We have the right people in place, ready to start." They build complex flowcharts when the real point is: "Our approach reduces risk at every phase."
If you can't write your point in one sentence, you're not ready to design anything. This isn't about dumbing things down—it's about clarity of purpose. Every element you add should serve that single point.
Think about it: When was the last time you looked at a graphic in an RFP response and thought, "I wish this had more information"? Probably never. But how often have you wondered, "What am I supposed to get from this?"
Set Boundaries Before You Start
Here's what kills most non-designer graphics: scope creep. You start with a simple process flow. Then someone suggests adding timelines. Then resource allocation. Then dependencies. Suddenly your "simple" graphic looks like a circuit board.
Professional designers call this "setting the frame." You decide the boundaries of what you're communicating before you begin. One graphic, one concept.
Maybe you're explaining a phased transition plan. The frame might be: "Show the three phases and their key milestones." That's it. Not the team members involved. Not the risk mitigation strategies. Not the communication protocols. Just phases and milestones.
When someone inevitably asks, "Can we also show..." the answer is: "That's a different graphic for our proposal library."
Use Consistent Visual Elements (Even Simple Ones)
You don't need sophisticated design skills to create consistency in your proposal graphics. You need three decisions:
1. Pick one way to show hierarchy
Maybe headers are ALL CAPS
Maybe they're bold
Maybe they're a different colorJust pick one and stick with it across every graphic in your RFP response.
2. Choose meaningful icons or shapes
Circles for milestones
Squares for deliverables
Triangles for decision pointsWhatever you choose, use them the same way everywhere.
3. Limit your color palette
Your company colors plus one accent
Or just shades of one color
Or black, white, and one highlight color
Consistency breeds familiarity. When evaluators see your third graphic using the same visual language as your first, they spend less mental energy decoding and more time understanding your bid's value proposition.
Follow the Natural Reading Path
Western readers scan left to right, top to bottom. Fight this at your peril.
Your most important element goes top-left. Your conclusion or outcome goes bottom-right. The flow between them should feel inevitable, not like a treasure hunt.
Test this yourself: Show your proposal graphic to someone for three seconds. Ask them to explain what they saw. Did they catch your main point? Or did they get lost trying to figure out where to start?
Validate With Non-Experts
This might be the most critical step that proposal teams skip. You know what your graphic means because you built it. Your subject matter expert knows because they provided the content. But what about someone who's never seen this information before?
Find someone outside your immediate team—someone from a different department, someone who hasn't been breathing this RFP for weeks. Show them your graphic. Ask two questions:
"What do you think this is saying?"
"Where did your eyes go first?"
If they can't answer the first question correctly, your graphic isn't functional. If their eyes bounced around searching for a starting point, your visual hierarchy needs work.
We've watched teams discover their "clear" process graphic actually communicated the opposite of their intent. Better to find out from a colleague than an evaluator who's determining your win rate.
The Functional Framework in Practice
Let's say you need to show a technical implementation plan for your RFP response. You're not a designer, but you need something better than a wall of text describing sequential steps.
Step 1: Define your "so what?""Our implementation minimizes disruption by running parallel systems during transition."
Step 2: Set your frameShow only: current state, parallel running period, and future state.
Step 3: Apply consistent elements
Rectangles for systems
Arrows for data flow
One color for current systems, another for new systems
Step 4: Follow reading pathCurrent state (left) → Transition (center) → Future state (right)
Step 5: ValidateShow it to someone unfamiliar with the project. Can they identify the parallel running period? Do they understand the transition approach?
When Functional Beats Beautiful in Proposal Graphics
We live in a world that celebrates beautiful design. But in RFP responses, clarity beats beauty every time. An evaluator spending 30 seconds on your page needs to understand your message immediately. They're not admiring your aesthetic choices—they're trying to determine if you can deliver.
Your proposal graphics don't need to win design awards. They need to communicate clearly, support your narrative, and help evaluators say yes.
FAQ: Creating Effective Proposal Graphics
### How much time should I spend on a single proposal graphic?For most RFP graphics, aim to spend 60-90 minutes maximum. If you're taking longer, your concept may be too complex. Remember: proposal evaluators typically spend less than a minute reviewing each page, so focus on clear communication rather than perfection.
How much time should I spend on a single proposal graphic?
For most RFP graphics, aim to spend 60-90 minutes maximum. If you're taking longer, your concept may be too complex. Remember: proposal evaluators typically spend less than a minute reviewing each page, so focus on clear communication rather than perfection.
What tools do proposal professionals actually use for graphics?
Most winning proposal graphics are created in PowerPoint, not specialized design software. Other common tools include Lucidchart, Miro for collaborative development, and Canva for teams with slightly more design capability.
Should I reuse graphics across different RFP responses?
Yes, but strategically. Maintain a proposal graphics library of your best visuals, but always adapt them to address the specific "so what" needed for each new RFP. Never use a graphic without reviewing whether it directly answers the current evaluator's needs.
What's the ideal text-to-visual ratio in proposal graphics?
Aim for 70% visual, 30% text. If your graphic requires lengthy explanations, it's likely too complex. Each text element should be 1-5 words when possible, with the exception of essential callouts or direct quotes from the RFP requirements.
The next time you're faced with that blank slide in your RFP response, remember: You're not trying to be a designer. You're trying to be understood. Start with your point, set your boundaries, stay consistent, and validate with fresh eyes.
That's not just good enough—that's exactly what your proposal needs to win.
If you work this way, Trampoline helps you keep it tight under deadline. It is built around the same ideas: clear framing, single source of truth, short feedback loops.
Upload the RFP. Trampoline turns it into cards. Use the card title to write your “so what.” Keep one concept per card.
Set the frame in the card description. Tag it as a graphic. If someone asks to add more, create a new card. Scope creep stays out.
Use the AI side panel to pull past answers, standard terms, and callouts. Your labels and language stay consistent across graphics.
Collaborate in place. Comment, mention a non-expert for the three-second test, and track sign‑off with reviews and version history.
When cards are complete, use the Writer extension to compile into Word, PowerPoint, or your template. The structure mirrors the board.
Your finished work adds to a searchable library. Next time, you start from what worked, not from a blank slide.
The result is simple. Less time herding content. More time making the message clear.