Designing a Poster Display
A successful poster will attract the reader's interest, summarise the information and encourage discussion. To be effective it needs to be visually dynamic, holding the attention of your reader long enough to communicate your message. The main advantage of a poster is it is available for an extended period of time allowing readers to browse through the materials at their own pace and revisit the display. It also frees the presenter to answer questions and discuss the details of the poster.
The main limitations of a poster display are the physical restrictions on space for the material and there are often a number of posters presented at the same time, each competing for the viewers attention. As the poster's message becomes familiar and it quickly loses its ability to catch and hold the attention of the reader.
You will have the best chance of attracting the interest of your audience if:
The lettering is large enough to be legible.
The display is attractive and has a professional finish.
The content is well structured and easy to follow.
Points to consider when creating a poster.
- Most people tend to skim a poster. They first look at the title and the pictures. Only then might they try to read the rest of the poster if they think the material is interesting.
- The relationship between text and graphics is especially important. The text should be placed so that it can be gone through systematically, point by point by the reader.
- Posters incorporate visual combinations of images, lines, colour and words. The basic elements of a poster are: the main heading, supporting text and visuals.
- The main heading should be brief, to the point, and designed to capture interest. Simple, eye-catching words around 20 mm high are recommended to make sure that the words can be read from a number of metres away. For maximum legibility, use capitals with lowercase lettering.
- Visuals are the focal point of a poster. Photographs, illustrations, diagrams and charts can all present the same information in different ways. Labels must be close to any diagrams.
- Selective use of colour enhances a poster. Coloured boarders, bullets and blocks serve to draw attention to specific details.
- The poster construction should be sturdy and always carried and stored flat. If the poster is to be used a number of times it can be laminated in clear plastic for protection.
Poster design is a process of making informed choices about the different elements at your disposal. A clear purpose, sequence and relative importance of the elements are your guide to deciding the most appropriate design. The first step is to decide on the purpose of poster. This is not what you want to produce but what you want to happen. What should your reader do after seeing your poster?
1. Contents and structure of your poster
After deciding on the purpose decide what your poster is about.Take a blank piece of paper and write the topic in the middle. Take five minutes to list 3 sub-topics which are relevant to this topic. For each of these topics, list 3 more supporting sub-topics. Just write whatever comes into your head about this topic. Once you have a "content map" of your poster you can determine the relative importance of each of the points.
2. Collect and sequence the information
The sequence in which you present the information of your poster is no different than structuring any other presentation. Essentially a set of key points are presented with associated examples, illustrations, elaborations and qualifications. Information such as terms, names, dates, places, methods or events provide the terminology and facts of poster topic. Your sub-topics are the organising structure for these facts. From reading these sub-topics and supporting examples your readers should be left with simple "take home" message like: "A successful poster will attract the reader's interest, summarise the information and encourage discussion. "
Now that you have identified a number of points you wish to cover, you need to collect the relevant information. With this information in your possession you can start thinking about the best way to communicate that information to your reader. Different types of graphics communicate different types of information and are best chosen with an eye to the type of communication job they do best. A photograph, for example, may offer a good resemblance to the original but is limited to showing the external or surface view of an object. The message you wish to convey can be lost in the detail whereas a diagram could present a clearly labelled expanded view of an object.
Examples are used so that terms and concepts can be better understood and the topic presented in an interesting manner. In general it is best to use examples that have meaning to a broad range of reader backgrounds and experiences. Examples can come from analogies, personal experiences, cartoons, diagrams, illustrations, models, pictures and maps to list a few.
3. Experimenting with different designs
Successful design comes about through trial and error. By producing a number of different options you can explore problems and opportunities without wasting too much energy on production. Using a pencil and a piece of graph paper quickly draw up a few options for the elements of your design. Speed also has the effect of simulating your ideas to flow faster. The rough designs do not have to look pretty, but needs to include all the important elements you want to convey and some indication of how you will arrange them.
Many designs rely on an underlying grid to help position the elements on a page. Graph paper is a great way of experimenting with different designs. A grid makes it easier to plan where blocks of text go in relation to the graphics. It provides a unifying influence without restricting the number of ways the different elements can be combined.
Roger Parker (1990) says graphic design is the visual equivalent of a jigsaw puzzle. It should all fit together harmoniously, without any missing pieces. Your final choice of design can be decided on the following criteria:
Relevance- each element should have a purpose in the overall design
Proportion- size should relate to the importance of the object
Direction- signpost the order in which you want your poster read. The design needs to guide the reader from point to point.
Consistency- no piece should be in isolation. A design is an integrated whole.
Now might be a good time to share your designs with a colleague. Give a brief, simplified explanation of the objectives of your poster and ask for suggestions on the appropriate method of achieving this objective and strengthen the link between the text and the visuals.
4. Put together the final poster
Once you have settled on you draft design you need to translate your words and visuals into the final product. Your draft can be copied onto an overhead transparency and projected to enlarge your design to the appropriate size. This will provide a guide to the size of the various different elements. Text can be set using a word processor and printed on a laser printer. Diagrams can be enlarged on a good quality photocopier or scanned into a graphics program and also printed on a laser printer. Various glue sticks and spray adhesives can be used to mount all these elements onto cardboard or foam board. Stay away from liquid adhesives like PVA glue as it tends to wrinkle the paper.
The background colour of the mounting board should be a neutral tone so as not to distract from the other visual material. When you stand back from your final product the effect should be neat and appear balanced to the eye. Most importantly borders should be straight, equal distance from the edge or the board and slightly wider at the bottom.
If you expect your poster will be used for repeated displays my might consider having it laminated with a protective plastic coating which protects against general wear and tear.
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To get your message across you have to capture the attention of a potential reader who is several metres away and to encourage them to walk over and read the details of your poster. The following checklist will help you to summarise the strengths and weaknesses of your final poster. Have you ... Used visuals whenever possible to illustrate ideas Present a single concept with each visual Broken down complex visuals into simpler ones Chosen visuals because they add information Eliminated distracting backgrounds Avoided centring every element on the display Used graphs to present data Used bold, plain typefaces for headings Avoided using more than two different typefaces Used italics, bold, underlining or colour for emphasis Used Capitals and lowercase lettering. Used the brightest and lightest colour to focus attention on important elements Used lettering and visuals that contrast with background colour Used consistent background colours in a series of posters Limit the number of colours on each poster Made the design as simple as possible Made sure your elements appear balanced Make sure it is legible. If the audience can't read it, don't use it |
Further reading
Heinich, Molenda & Russell. (1993) Instructional Media. New York, NY: Macmillian Publishing.
Lowe, R. (1993) Successful Instructional Diagrams. London, UK: Kogan Page.
Parker, R. (1990) Looking Good in Print. Chapel Hill, NC: Ventana Press.
Compiled by Peter Kandlbinder, ext. 2314