Ben Hockenberry

Systems Librarian | Lavery Library | St. John Fisher College

Slides available: libguides.sjfc.edu/tutorial/researchposterdesign

Portions of this presentation were adapted from hsp.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/ScientificPosters.pdfAnd www.makesigns.com/tutorials/poster-design-layout.aspx

Create your file in PowerPoint, Publisher, or InDesign(not Word)

On the View Menu, show “Guides”

Choose a template or layout that matches the size, orientation, and shape that you need printed(the printer can’t turn a square into a rectangle without distortion)

Your final version should be saved as PDF with embedded fonts

SummarizeCommunicateEngage

No one will read your whole paper on a poster.

It’s kind of like an illustrated abstract.Make your point clearKeep it to-the-point

The audience is there

for the free food.Make them care.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/regan_photography/5236892398/

Use language that assumes intelligence but not expertiseMake your conclusions meaningful

Keep text sections short, and its size readable

Source: http://www.mindware.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/optometrist1.jpg

Use lists instead of paragraphs when you can

Posters should communicate, not confuse.

A story follows a logical path.Lead viewers through yours.

Source: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/08/29/beyond-wireframing-real-life-ux-design-process/

Organize in clear sectionsUse short, meaningful titles for sections(standard ones, if discipline-appropriate)Order sections for logical flow

For scientific posters:Only deviate from “top-left to bottom-right”with purpose.

Consider visual flow:Where does the viewer look first?Where next?Are questions asked, and answered?

Images, white space, and contrast make it or break it.

Your poster should consist of roughly20-30% text30-40% figures40% space l e a v e

b r e a t h i n gr o o m

White space provides:Rhythm or FlowUnityReadabilityBalance

“Padding” keeps text from touching borders, backgrounds, and other images

Image source: http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_boxmodel.asp

More text =More time standing,

making sense of the workLess time engaging

with you and others

Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GD09_Poster_Session.jpg

Posters are about sharingand engaging.

If a reader is interested, she can talk to you or

follow up.Include contact

information!Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GD09_Poster_Session.jpg

Keep text easy-to-read.(“Edwardian Script” is not easy to read.)

Sans-serif fonts are generally more legible from a distance.

Examples:

Calibri

Century Gothic Lucida Sans

TahomaVerdana

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sans-serif

Serif fonts can work if their size is big enough. Headings!

Examples:

CentaurGaramond

GeorgiaRockwell

Times New Roman

Choose 2 fonts(maybe 3)

Use consistenttypeface and size for all text of the same type

Change fonts with purpose Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/iampeas/2796154727/

Title: 85ptAuthors: 56ptSub-headings: 36ptBody text: 24ptCaptions: 18ptThese are only suggestions; every poster is different. From:http://www.makesigns.com/tutorials/poster-design-layout.aspx

Use charts instead of textwhen possibleConsider adding a brief caption to make a point

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

January February March April May June July August September

Headcounts by Month and Time of Day

9:00am 11:00am 1:00pm 3:00pm 5:00pm 7:00pm

1:00 is our peak traffic timeslot, but close to Finals Week, people stay in the library later.

Use 150-300 dpi (dots per inch)images…or they’ll print like this.(72 dpi is standard

on the Web)Source: http://www.faithgraphix.com/basic-instructions.html

Paste your images into the document,then ZOOM to 100% to check resolution

Make sure text and images pop“The Squint Test:”is text readable when you squint? Avoid distracting backgrounds andtransparency Source: http://www.makesigns.com/tutorials/poster-design-layout.aspx

Keep colors consistent for content of the same typeUse a color picker tool or “theme” colorsSoft colors for most information, and brighter colors for highlightsKeep backgrounds light

Contrast aids readabilityColors differentiate

(Don’t forget colorblindness)

If data represents a scale, use colors in visible orderSmall data points (line charts, scatter plots) need brighter colors to be seen

The hardest text to read in this chart is the most important.http://www.perceptualedge.com/articles/visual_business_intelligence/rules_for_using_color.pdf

Source: http://www.makesigns.com/tutorials/poster-design-layout.aspx

If you didn’t write it, cite it (Hockenberry, 2015).

Tutorials

MakeSignsVideos and text walkthroughs http://www.makesigns.com/tutorials/

Color

Adobe Color CC (was Kuler) https://color.adobe.com/create/color-wheel/

Templates

Genigraphicshttp://www.genigraphics.com/templates/

MakeSignshttp://www.makesigns.com/SciPosters_Templates.aspx