Creating Memorable Conference Posters – A Quick Guide
Conference posters are a fantastic way to share your research with a network of peers. They allow you to summarize your research in a highly visual way, creating an engaging experience for your audience.
Presenting a research poster is also the perfect way for those who lack – but would like to develop – public speaking skills. Typically, as a poster presenter, you share your research with a group of 3-10 people at a time. Furthermore, since you repeat your presentation multiple times throughout the conference, it’s a unique opportunity to continuously improve your delivery.
Finally, doing a poster presentation at a reputable academic conference strengthens your resume, helping you push your academic career to new heights.
So today, let’s discuss conference posters best practices to make sure that you get the most out of your next event participation.
What software to use for conference posters design
Let’s start with the basics – the software. If you already have a piece of design software that you are comfortable with, go ahead and skip to the next section. However, if this is your first poster presentation and you’re unsure where to begin, here are a few options:
- Simple: Microsoft PowerPoint, Mac’s Keynote, or Google Slides.
Almost everyone has used presentation software like PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides at one point or another. These solutions offer a user-friendly way to create visually stunning slides by offering a wide range of design and customization options. - Intermediate: Canva or other online design tools.
There are numerous online design tools on the market: Pixlr, VistaCreate, Venngage, etc. We’ve noticed that Canva has been increasingly popular among both poster and oral presenters lately. That’s probably due to Canva’s incredible user-friendliness, a rich database of templates, and a large number of functionalities. It does take some time to get used to; however, if you do, you’ll most likely keep coming back to this solution for other purposes – designing slides, resumes, social media posts, etc. - Advanced: Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Creative Cloud is a set of applications that are used for creative purposes. Two most popular two tools used for conference posters are InDesign and Illustrator. Both offer a free trial if you’d like to dip your toes and see whether these design solutions are the right fit.
Other solutions that we’ve seen conference posters presenters use for part or full design are: Inkscape, OriginLab, LaTeX, CorelDRAW, Easil, GIMP, and bioRender, among others.
The dos and don’ts of conference poster design
Alright, once you have your software solution picked out, it’s time to start on the actual design. We’ve seen hundreds of research posters, which has allowed us to compile a list of best practices. Check out our recommendations below.
DO create a preliminary script to determine whether you want the orientation of your poster to be vertical or horizontal.
DO use a large font for titles and subtitles. You want it to be instantly clear what your research is about. Furthermore, since you are presenting in an area where attendees walk around, your job is to attract those just passing by. So make sure the font of the titles and subtitles of conference posters is visible from a couple of meters away.
DO choose an appropriate font. There are such classic fonts like Times New Roman, Arial, Helvetica, Garamond, and others. It is always safe to go with the classics. There are numerous modern fonts that also look sleek and formal – e.g., Raleway, Roboto, Montserrat, and Poppins. Stay away from “fun” fonts such as Comic Sans.
DON’T go crazy with the colors. You don’t want your conference posters to look dull by opting for a black-and-white style. The easiest way to settle on the color scheme is to pick one color that’s your main accent and then incorporate one – or maximum two – colors as complementary colors. For the text, we recommend sticking to the black color (or, at least, a very dark blue). You can use color palette generators to identify colors that go well together.
DON’T exceed 1,000 words of text. You should be highly strategic about what text you choose to put on your poster. You should add enough to explain all the key parts of the research: the methodology, findings, etc. However, if you have too much text, it will make it incredibly difficult to read it – not to mention that very few attendees will actually stand there long enough to read the entire thing.
DO use visual aid in the form of charts, graphs, and other data visualizations. Bar graphs, pie charts, and trend lines will help your audience more easily understand the findings of your research. You can also effectively communicate scale and impact through a visual representation of data.
DON’T place text and images too close to the edges. You want to make sure the margins are big enough to create a clean look. Furthermore, you don’t want to risk any text or images getting cut off during printing.
DO use bullet points and numbering where possible. It’s a simple way to add more structure to your text. Furthermore, by making certain text within bullet points bold or putting it in a different color, you can guide the attention of the audience strategically.
DON’T try to cover every inch of the poster. A cluttered poster with no empty space is very difficult for an eye to process. It also looks unappealing, which will drastically reduce your chances of attracting an audience.
DO use a couple of images, if appropriate. A picture is a great way to grab the attention of the audience. Interesting or visually beautiful pictures, when strategically placed and carefully curated, can help you increase the attendance to your stand.
DO include acknowledgments, your name, contact information, and your institutional affiliation. Many people may choose to take a picture of your poster – whether it’s because they don’t have the time to look at it now and would like to do it later or because they were interested in your presentation so much that they want to share it with their network.
In conclusion
Presenting a conference poster is not only an effective way to share your research, but it also serves as a platform for professional growth.
By selecting the right design tools and following our tips, you can create a visually appealing and engaging poster that captures attention and clearly communicates your research.
Whether you’re new to public speaking or an experienced presenter, the poster format allows you to hone your skills while interacting with peers in a more informal setting. Remember that a well-designed poster can enhance your academic profile and leave a lasting impression.
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