Digital Posters

What is a digital poster?

Unlike traditional printed posters, digital posters are displayed electronically, typically on a TV or computer screen, projector, or other digital devices.

A digital poster can be presented in-person or virtually. Digital posters are becoming increasingly popular, especially in the context of virtual or hybrid events.

How is a digital poster different from a printed poster?

Image Source: "What is a digital poster?" MIT Comm Lab.

Digital posters, like printed posters, incorporate visual elements like text, images, charts, graphics and diagrams. The same design principles and best practices for printed posters, such as readability and visual appeal, apply to digital posters.

One of the benefits of a digital poster is that the audience can engage with your content in a more dynamic way. A digital poster can include interactive elements such as hyperlinks, embedded multimedia content, animations and interactive charts and infographics. You can also control what content is displayed, bringing focus to specific sections by zooming in and out on the screen as you speak about your work.

A digital poster can be easily distributed through email, social media, or uploaded to websites and conference platforms. This gives your work wider distribution and allows people to engage with it remotely. Digital posters can be more accessible than printed posters by incorporating features such as alt text for images and compatibility with screen readers.

A digital poster can be updated or revised easily, allowing you to incorporate the latest data or developments right up until the moment it is presented. They are also cost-effective since they eliminate the need for printing a physical display. Printing and transporting a printed poster can be both expensive and cumbersome. The digital approach is also more environmentally friendly due to reduced paper usage.

How will it be displayed?

Guidelines for digital displays

Flat Screen Displays

When digital displays are used for an in-person poster presentation, the screen is typically an LED or LCD TV or monitor. These can be mounted on portable carts or fixed to the walls as part of a multi-display AV system, such as the displays in the Hive classrooms at Humber College.

Create your poster in a 16x9 format. Typically, a resolution of 1920x1080 works well, however, it is worth finding out the exact resolution of the displays from the people who manage the system.
If you plan to use the USB input on the television to load your poster, make sure it is in a format that the TV can read (e.g. JPEG, PDF) and match your presentation's resolution to that of the screen to ensure your poster will fill the whole screen.
If you are using your laptop as the source, make sure you have the right cable and adapter to connect to the TV (e.g. a USB-C to HDMI adapter). Also, remember to bring power for your laptop!
Using a laptop as your source will allow you to use interactive content, visit related materials online, or collect contact details for your audience.

Digital Signage

Showcasing a poster on a digital signage system brings your content to a wider audience and across a longer time frame than a typical poster session. Here are some factors to consider:

Create your poster in a 16x9 format. Typically, a resolution of 1920x1080 works well, however, it is worth finding out the exact resolution of the displays from the people who manage the system.
Viewers will not be able to access content such as hyperlinks or interactive graphs.
QR codes are helpful ways to link your audience to a web-hosted version of the poster and/or your references.
Digital Signage displays are often located higher than a typical print poster would be mounted so you may need to increase your font size, reduce the amount of text on screen, or split your poster into "slides" that showcase each section individually.

Web

When a digital poster is hosted online it is typically user-directed (i.e. the audience will navigate through the content at their own pace). Here are some factors to consider:

When a poster is hosted online, it can reach a much wider audience that a typical in-person poster presentation.
When a digital poster is hosted online, it provides opportunities to introduce interactive elements, hotspots such as interactive graphs, embedded audio and/or video. hyperlinks, etc.
References can be housed on a separate web-document and hyperlinked within your poster. Depending on your sources, this can lead your audience directly to the research.
While you won't have the benefit of conversing with your audience the way you would during a live poster-presentation, including your contact details or a feedback form allows you to connect with your audience.
Consider using an online tool such as Canva or Piktochart, as this will result in dynamic content that will adapt to whatever screen your audience is viewing on (e.g a cell phone or tablet).
If your poster is a fixed shape it is worth including a downloadable version or notes on the optimal viewing conditions (e.g. "this poster is best viewed on a computer monitor").

Projection

Projection typically allows for a larger display than an LED TV or monitor. However, there are some factors that can affect your presentation:

A 16x9 format is most common. However, may venues still use 4x3 projectors. 1920x1080 is the most common resolution in modern projectors, however, it is worth finding out the exact resolution of the projector from the event organizers. This will help you maximize your space and avoid black bars at the sides or edges of your projected poster.
Projected images can be affected by ambient light - be that natural light from windows or strong room lighting. It can help to turn off lights directly above a projection screen or to close windows, shades, or blinds.
Permanent screens in rooms are often located higher than a typical print poster would be mounted. This can make pointing to various sections of your poster challenging. Using a laser pointer can help guide your audience to a specific section of the poster.
Depending on the location of the projector, if the presenter or viewer stands too close to the screen, they may block the image being projected.
High contrast is important for all posters, as it allows your text to be legible and your icons and images to stand out. Typically, dark text and icons on a light background work best on a projected image.

Accessibility

There are several steps you can take to ensure your poster is accessible to everyone:

Provide the material in alternative formats (e.g. text-only .pdf, a narrated audio-only version).
Ensure your poster has adequate contrast. Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker to check your colours ( a ratio of 3:1 is recommended).
Use the built-in accessibility checkers in PowerPoint or Adobe Acrobat to ensure the document is fully accessible. Important settings include:
- Tagging the title, headings, etc.
- Providing alt-text to describe figures or images (mark them as decorative images to allow screen-readers to skip any non-essential information)
- Setting the reading order for your content

Next: Presenting Your Poster

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