Creative Poster Ideas

Hi Reader, this is Patrick - you have signed up to learn more about SciCom in one of our events.

Topic of today: Posters, and the easiest way to design a great poster is by getting inspired by what's possible.

Since it can be really hard and frustrating to come up with a design yourself, seeing some examples can be incredibly helpful.

That's why I've compiled examples that go beyond the usual graphs and blocks of text:

Being Creative

This one is an amazing example of how you can take your poster to the next level.

To keep things simpler, you could also just attach a folded piece of paper that people can open—like a window, either vertically or horizontally.

However, the key here is: A) doing something uncommon, and B) including an interactive element that makes the entire experience more playful.

Prioritizing Design

Another approach to make your poster stand out is to leverage negative space—doing the opposite of everyone who crowds their poster with graphs and text.

Importantly, take a moment to notice how the color scheme is well chosen, and how the Research Objectives and Questions are clearly structured.

It’s hard to limit the amount of data you present—however, sometimes including just two or three figures is enough.

Adding Structure

However, we often have to share a lot of data, and our supervisors won’t always allow for more innovative designs. Still, you can stand out by giving your poster more structure than others.

As you can see, there’s still additional space that could be used for your data.

The key point is that even though you can include a lot in such a design, it still looks much more organized and attractive to the eye.

Applying the Knowledge

Creating a poster that stands out requires you to:

A) Think outside the box and let go of the idea of presenting your data exhaustively

B) Having the courage to leave things out - the key: realize that only you know your entire story, your viewers don't. You think you miss something dear to your heart but your viewers never knew it existed.

Also, don’t fall into the trap of trying to make everything perfect. Don’t get stuck—realize that it usually takes two or three iterations to figure out what’s necessary, what looks good, and what others respond well to.

You got it!

​Here is a collection of posters that will provide you with some more ideas.

How We Feel Today