Design Process

Picture credit: Unsplash

Before you learn how to design a poster, here are a few things you should be aware of:

Great design is subtle.
Design should feel like problem-solving.
UX designers feel a surge of happiness when they get to delete something.
When the poster looks too simple to represent the amount of time you put into it, you’re done.

Below, you will learn more detailed poster design methods such as selecting the template, structure, font, color, and layout.

First, Decide Size & Template

It can be challenging to change the size of your poster once it is designed, so starting out with the correct size is important.

Check if there is a size requirement or a specific poster template for your poster session;
Make sure your poster will fit a presentation board as those come in various sizes;
Consider the size of your printer paper to avoid manually trimming the poster once printed. Common widths for wide-format plotters are 34, 36, or 42 inches.

Poster pinned to the poster board

Set a Formal Structure

A poster needs to be self-explanatory to free the presenter from answering obvious questions. Like research articles, to achieve both coverage and clarity, posters need to follow a precise format and content organization. The easiest way to decide which sections to include on your poster is to organize your information into 3 categories - Introduction, Research, and Conclusion.

The Introduction section sets the stage and outlines why you did the research you did. The Research section shows all the data you collected and how you collected it. Finally, the Conclusion section analyzes and summarizes your results. This is what the viewer ultimately takes away from your poster, so pay special attention to this last section.

Common Poster Sections

The American Association for the Advancement of Science recommends a Better-poster template. Please see the example below. Note, how its structure mirrors the sections of the research paper: Title > Authors > Authors’ Affiliations > Introduction > Methods > Results > Discussion > Conclusion.

Consider creating a QR code to be placed on your poster. This will allow the viewer to easily scan the QR code with a mobile device for later referral. Generate QR codes here.

Better Poster Template from AAAS

Make your Poster Easier to Navigate

Design isn’t about making things look pretty. It’s about directing attention.

Good design will enable your poster to act as a reading/scanning guide for your reader, and hierarchy plays an important role in arranging information in a way that a viewer can easily consume and understand.

Text Font

One way to apply hierarchy is through the fonts. Here is some advice you can follow:

Pick no more than 3 fonts to create visual hierarchy and use them consistently.
The recommended fonts for graphic design are sans serif fonts, such as Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Verdana, and Tahoma.
The readable text size is 24 pt or larger.
Headers are bolder and larger as they take a higher spot in the hierarchy in order to capture attention.

Take the following poster as an example. We can see the following guidelines are implemented:

3 fonts are used;
Text sizes 96 pt, 60 pt, 54 pt, 36 pt, and 24 pt are utilized to create hierarchy;
Throughout the main body of the poster, consistently, Calibri 54 pt is used for section titles, Calibri 36 pt is used for subtitles, and Calibri 24 pt is used for the text;

Poster Example

Text Centering

Here is another tip to form hierarchy. If your punchline is more than 2 lines, don’t center it. Centering makes your eyes do more work.

Use Images, Charts & Graphs Wisely

If you ever attended poster sessions, you know how difficult it is to read a poster. Visual elements, like images, photos, charts, graphs, and/or icons definitely grab the most attention. It is therefore crucial that your images and graphics are clear and concise, as they will tell most of your story.

Always use high-quality images (zoom and inspect);
Use .JPG or .TIFF format for images;
Use CMYK color scheme for images if the poster is to be printed;
If you use images from the web, give appropriate credits;
Keep tables and charts simple and easy to understand:

Balance Content, Weight & White Space

A balanced composition feels right. It feels stable and aesthetically pleasing. While some of its elements might be focal points and attract your eye, no one area of the composition draws your eye so much that you can’t see the other areas.

An unbalanced composition can lead to tension. In some projects, In some projects, unbalanced content might be right for the message you're trying to communicate, but generally you want balanced compositions. Symmetrical balance evokes a sense of formality and structure.

To balance your design, notice the following tips:

Larger objects appear visually heavier than smaller objects.
Darker color object appear visually heavier than lighter color objects.
Text field density would give viewer a visual weight. Bolder, bigger, more clustered text area would feel heavier.

Consider the following 4 types of symmetry when designing your poster.

Apply Reading Gravity

In the western habit of reading left-to-right, top-to-bottom, the center and the corners of the page are each magnets attracting the eye. The center is a little stronger. Of the corners, the primary and terminal optical areas attract most of a reader's attention. Do not crowd the terminal area with references and acknowledgements.

Photo Credit: Better Posters

Set Color Scheme

Use no more than 3 colors and keep your background non-distracting.

If your poster is digital and does not need printing, it is recommended to use RGB or HEX color models as they produce more vibrant and bright colors as compared to CMYK. But if the poster is to be printed, it is important to view the image in CMYK before printing it out.

Be aware that it is impossible for all the colors viewed on a monitor (operates in RGB/HEX) to be identically matched in a print from a desktop printer (operates in a CMYK color space). Find more information on color models here.

For creating custom color schemes, consider using the color picker tool

Image Credit: GlassCanopy