Successful transport decision-making - Osmose

Vol 2 - Table of Contents Next Practical information
Who participates and how?
Planning your poster
What’s my message?
Pick one thing that you want your readers to learn;
If visuals and text do not support your message, leave them
out!
How much room do I have?
Determine specific size requirements - this affects what you
can fit, what you’ll have to leave out and how things will be
organised.
How much money do I have?
What materials will the poster be made of? Glossy paper,
cardboard, foam core, Electronic reader board;
Can the poster be produced by existing staff or is a
contractor required?
Details Matter
Check for consistent formatting, correct grammar, and
correct spelling;
Avoid abbreviations and acronyms; and
Always include contact details.
Set up some deadlines
Preparing a poster will take as much time as you let it.
Allocate your time wisely;
There are always things that can go wrong, so don’t wait
until the last minute to do even a simple task. This is
especially important if the poster is multi-authored.
A quick poster checklist
What is the theme of my poster?
Does my poster have a title?
Are my lines straight and margins even?
Are the sentences punctuated and is the spelling correct?
Do I have a good balance of text and graphics?
Is my arrangement simple and uncrowded?
Does my eye flow naturally from one point to the next?
Can I read the introduction and other paragraphs from at
least 1 metre (3 feet) away?
Creating your poster
Layout
Balance the placement of text and graphics.
Use white space creatively to define the flow of information.
Don’t fight ‘reader gravity’ that pulls the eye from top to bottom, left
to right.
Column format makes a poster easier to read in a crowd.
Graphics
Graphics should be simple and clean.
Stick to simple, 2-D line graphs, bar charts, and pie charts.
Avoid 3-D looking graphs unless you're displaying 3-D data.
Use photos that help deliver your message.
Use spot art -- but not too much -- to attract attention.
Text
Minimise text! Keep text elements to 50 words or less.
Use phrases rather than full sentences.
Use an active voice.
Avoid jargon (depending somewhat on audience).
Use no more than two fonts.
Text should be large -- at least 36 point for title panels; 24 point for
text.
Text used in figures should also be large.
Title should be at least five centimetres (two inches) tall.
Headings help readers find key sections -- objectives, results, etc.
Colours
Use light colour background and dark letters for contrast.
Avoid dark background with light letters -- very tiring to read.
Stick to a theme of 2-3 colours, no more.
Overly bright colours will attract attention, but wear out readers'
eyes.
Software tools
MicroSoft PowerPoint is a good, relatively easy-to-use tool for
creating posters.
Adobe Illustrator is also is good for figures.
Adobe Photoshop is good for manipulating images.
MicroSoft Excel can create graphics and export them for
PowerPoint.
Edit and evaluate
Edit! Edit! Edit! to reduce text.
If it does not support your main message, remove it!
Have colleagues comment on drafts -- hang a draft with pens and
invite them to critique.
Try the 60 second evaluation.
Are your objective and main message obvious?
Will readers be able to contact you?
A poster, sign or notice attracts the attention of people
in a defined area. They are used to alert people to
your project and to encourage engagement by
including contact information for project staff. It
encourages participation by any number of people
who may view the poster.
How much does it cost?
If professionally designed, in full colour glossy, a
poster can be a relatively expensive technique.
However, simple two colour posters with limited
graphics can reduce overall costs. It can be costly if
the poster needs to be durable requiring waterproof
and wind proof finishings.
What skills are required?
Graphic design skills can assist in the preparation of a
poster. The ability to write short simple phrases that
capture a key message is also important. A poster
should grab the attention of the passer-by.
How is it used with other techniques?
A poster is generally used to advertise another
engagement event such as an exhibition or open day.
It can also include project contact details.
What are the drawbacks?
If not designed properly a poster, notice or sign may
not grab the attention of people. This may result in
less publicity about the project, and wasted effort.
T12
85