Define your message

You must be able to state your main point and conclusion clearly, succintly, and in plain language.

All visuals and text should relate to your main point and conlcusion.

Know how much room you have

Determine specific size requriements as defined by conference organizers.

Establish milestones

This is especially important if the poster is multi-authored.

You can't change it on the plane, like you can an oral presentation.

Allow time for the poster to "sit on the shelf" whike you think about it.

Here's an example, working backwards ...

0 week ... present your poster

-1 week ... distribute draft for peer review (round 2), make changes suggested by peers, final print

-2 weeks ... distribute draft for peer review (round 1), make changes suggested by peers

-3 weeks ... creat first draft of poster, edit your draft ruthlessly

-4 weeks ... define message, write abstract (if not already done), sketch out poster

Simple messages are more memorable

You must be able to state your main point and conclusion clearly, succintly, and in plain language.

Details distract from the main point, and can be supplied in person as needed - you'll never know all the details different people will want.

Create a mock-up poster focused on your main message

Ask youself which details are absolutely essential for conveying your message. 

Omit anything that is not essential.

The most common problem is too much focus on methods.

Edit carefully, reduce sentence complexity, simplify verbiage.

Use a visual grammar to guide readers to the important parts of your poster.

Use a column format to make your poster easier to read in a crowd - viewers can read a column at a time, moving left to right.

Use organization cues to guide readers through your poster - headings, numbered section, break lines, etc.

Use "reader gravity" which pulls the eye from top to bottom and left to right (Wheildon 1995).

Use headings intelligently to help readers find your main points and key information.

Balance the placement of text and graphics to create visual appeal.

Use white space creatively to help define the flow of information.

Use photos, drawings, maps, and diagrams to help deliver your message.

Good graphs communicate relationships quickly.

Graphs should be simple and clean.

Write explanations directly on figures, instead of referencing from elsewhere.

Ten simple tips for better figures (from PLOS Computational Biology)

Use simple 2-dimensional line graphs, bar chargs, pie charts.

Avoid 3-dimensional graphs unless you're displaying 3-dimensional data - and then proceed carefully, as many 3-D graphs are difficult to interpret.

Text on graphs must follow same guidelines as all other text so that it will be visible.

Use spot art - but not too much - to attract attention.

Posters are a visual medium!

Minimize text - use graphics instead.

Keep text elements to 50 words or fewer.

Bulletize your text.

Use phrases rather than full sentences.

Use an active voice.

Avoid jargon (depends somewhat on audience).

Left-justify text; avoid centering and right-justifying text.

Text should be at least 24 point in text, 36 for headings.

Pay attention to text size in figures - it must also be large.

Title should be at least 5cm tall.

Use a light color background and dark color letters for contrast.

Avoid dark backgrounds with light letters - very tiring to read.

Stick to a theme of 2 or 3 colors - much more will overload and confuse viewers.

If you use multiple colors, use them in a consistent pattern - otherwise viewers will spend their time wondering what the pattern is rather than reading your poster.

Overly bright colors will attract attention - and then wear out readers' eyes.

Consider people who have problems differentiating colors, especially when designing graphics - one of the most common is an inability to tell green from red.

• Making figures and graphs that are color-deficiency friendly.

• Wikipedia article on color blindness.

• Simulations of what people with color deficiencies see.

• Ishihara tests for color deficiencies.

• Information about web safe colors that help avoid issues with color deficiencies.

Edit all text to simplify verbiage, to reduce sentence complexity, and to delete details.

If it's not relevant to your message, remove it!

Have colleagues comment on drafts. Print a small version and circulate for comment, or hang a full-size draft with pens and invite them to critique.

Evaluate your work - try the 60 second evaluation.

Are your objective and main message obvious?

Will readers be able to contact you?