lai/cilip joint conference, tullamore, march 30 & 31 2017
TRANSCRIPT
Posters as a promotional tool for your service
...a how to guide
Laura Connaughton
Assistant Librarian
Library Information Services
Maynooth University Library
@lozconn
https://www.slideshare.net/LauraConnaughton
[email protected] 01 708 3429
Why design a poster for a conference?
Hands up who ENJOYS public speaking?
https://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/public-speaking-tips-from-the-ceo-of-deloitte/
Show your
creative side
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lisa_g_pics/362781834/in/photolist-y4mpd-a
Still not convinced?
• Public speaking nervousness – allows you to engage on a
one-to-one basis
• Allows you to personally interact with people who are
interested in your topic
• Visible and accessible e.g. Slideshare, Twitter
• Reach more people
• Can be viewed any time at a conference
Everything starts with an idea...
Project New Service Innovative Workflow
Look at the conference themes for inspiration
Emerging Roles & Skill
Set
Collaboration
Poster Submissions
LAI/CILIP Ireland Joint Conference 2017
• Dynamic Libraries• Libraries and Change• Innovation in Libraries• Innovative Library Services• Connecting with the User• User Experience (UX)• User-oriented libraries/library
services
LAI/CILIP Ireland Joint Conference 2015
• Collaborate: Partnership, Shared Services, Seamless Access to Information
• Evaluate: Information Literacy, Evaluating Services, Measuring Impact
• Evolve: Libraries of the Future, Information Professionals of the Future, Digital Technologies
Where to start?
• Browse online for inspiration• Draft, draft and draft again• Content, words, flow, clarity, font size and
type, spelling, layout, illustrative material, photographs
• Follow the guidelines• Quick impact and attract immediate interest
The Design Process
• Formulate and articulate your idea
• Know your target audience
• What do you want to achieve with the poster?
• Be brave!
Content and Words• Your message• First time viewers• Be concise• Title • Ability to stand alone• Use a logical pathway• Not too much text• Tell a story• Author, affiliations and
contact details
Layout and Colour
• Try to create a ‘visual sequence’
• No need to fill every inch – white space is good
• Two/three main colours• Be consistent e.g. Use
one colour for all headings
Typeface1. This is a big one. You have to develop a hierarchy in your
design’s typography. Use a hierarchy that makes sense. The headline should always be the biggest, boldest text. The sub-headline should be differentiated somehow. It doesn’t have to be bold, but it should be larger than the other headline sections, if you have different body paragraphs. The body copy should be smaller, while still being legible. Any footnotes should be the smallest and placed at the bottom of the page, below the text. Also any asides should be made to stand out differently as well. You could use a different colour, or you could italicize the text
2. This is a big one. You have to develop a hierarchy in your design’s typography. Use a hierarchy that makes sense. The headline should always be the biggest, boldest text. The sub-headline should be differentiated somehow. It doesn’t have to be bold, but it should be larger than the other headline sections, if you have different body paragraphs. The body copy should be smaller, while still being legible. Any footnotes should be the smallest and placed at the bottom of the page, below the text. Also any asides should be made to stand out differently as well. You could use a different colour, or you could italicize the text
Typeface
• Use one typeface, max. two – will distract otherwise
• Be consistent• Use ample spacing between lines• Keep in mind spacing between subject areas• Be concise – keep sentence length short• Use ‘special effects’ sparingly e.g. Italic, bold• Avoid acronyms
Illustrative Material
• Photographs• Charts and Graphs• Quotes• Icons• Good resolution• Logos• Reference any images
you use
Feedback
• Look for an honest opinion
• Listen to the constructive feedback
• Try out the suggested changes...
• ...or get a second opinion
What makes a good poster?
• Interesting and well thought out content
• Flow and clarity
• Easy to read typeface and size
• Correct spelling and nice layout
• Use of illustrative material to catch the eye
Maynooth University
Centre for Teaching and Learning Annual Poster
Showcase
Maynooth University Centre for Teaching and Learning Annual Poster Showcase
Some Examples
Far too much text!
Background colour distracting
Text boxes different widths, not separated from each other – no
white spaces
Graph illegible
No headings
Messy and unclear heading
Clip art old-fashioned
No affiliations, author?
Posters should be a visual representation not long
batches of text
The Impact of Colour & Layout
Some winning examples...
“User Experience (UX) in Maynooth University Library” by
Laura Connaughton
Joint Winner of Best Poster at CONUL Annual Conference 2016
“The Liam O’Leary Archive: Ireland’s Film on Paper” by
Joanne Carroll
Joint Winner of Best Poster at CONUL
Annual Conference 2016
Self-Service in UCD Library by Christine Cullen
Winner of Best Poster at CONUL Annual Conference June 2015
“What would I tweet?” by Michelle Dalton Winner of Best Poster at A&SL 2014
Continuing Professional Development in Librarianshipby Laura Connaughton (MU)
Winner of Best Poster at A & SL February 2015
Picture Perfect Presentationsby Niamh O’Sullivan (IBTS)
Winner of Best Poster A & SL 2016
Cataloguing the Fermoy Gaelic Manuscripts
by Yvette Campbell (MU)
Winner of Best Poster at A & SL Conference 2017
LIBRARY POSTERSSocial Media &
University of Limerick
“Every Seat Counts” campaign
2015/2016
Maynooth University
“Use them or lose them!” campaign
2016
Infographics
• Increasingly popular• Visual• Easy and free to create• Lots more scope than
e.g. Powerpoint• Templates already
designed – you just need to populate it
In Conclusion
• Try it out
• Promotional tool for your services
• Follow the poster guidelines
– Size
– Orientation
– Professionally printed
• Ask for opinions – accept them graciously
Useful Sources• LAI CDG Bloghttps://laicdg.wordpress.com/2015/03/24/designing-an-academic-poster/
• Scientific Poster Tutorialshttp://www.makesigns.com/tutorials/poster-design-layout.aspx
• Graphic Design Tipshttp://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/
• Designing conference postershttp://colinpurrington.com/tips/poster-design
• Example of poor poster designhttp://colinpurrington.com/2012/example-of-bad-scientific-poster/
Guidelines and TipsPoster Design: Guidelines & Tips by Helen Fallon and Brian Dempseyhttp://eprints.maynoothuniversity.ie/4625/1/HF_poster_guidelines.pdf
LAI Career Development Blog – Designing an Academic Posterhttps://laicdg.wordpress.com/2015/03/24/designing-an-academic-poster
Designing Conference Postershttp://colinpurrington.com/2012/example-of-bad-scientific-poster/
Free Software for Poster Design• Piktochart – Infographic Creator http://piktochart.com/
• Poster My Wallhttp://postermywall.com
• Canvahttp://canva.com
• Nerdgraph Infographicshttp://www.nerdgraph.com/
• Visual.lyhttp://visual.ly/
• Infogramhttps://infogr.am/
MS Powerpoint
Free Images
• https://medium.com/@dustin/stock-photos-that-dont-suck-62ae4bcbe01b#.5zk92cz3w
• www.pixabay.com
• Google Images
• Remember to reference all images you use!
References• https://laicdg.wordpress.com/2015/03/24/designing-an-academic-poster/
• http://eprints.maynoothuniversity.ie/
• http://education.byu.edu/identity/academic_posters.html
• http://colinpurrington.com/2012/example-of-bad-scientific-poster/
• CONUL Conference Posters on Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/conulconference
• Connaughton, Laura and Payne, Val (2015) The Summon Discovery Tool: Its Implementation and Impact on Usage Statistics in Maynooth University. In: CONUL Annual Conference, 3rd/ 4th June, 2015, Radisson Blu Hotel, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. (Unpublished)
• Cullen, Christine (2015) Self-Service in UCD Library. In: CONUL Annual Conference, 3rd/ 4th June, 2015, Radisson Blu Hotel, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. (Unpublished)
Reference for Images Used• Backhanded Compliment http://www.chicagonow.com/lipstick-lollipops/files/2014/06/backhanded-compliment.png
• Standing out from the crowd (slide 1, tulips)http://www.beautybyyourdesign.com/uncategorized/stand-out-from-the-crowd-three-key-steps
• Lightbulb, slide 2 (Fer Gregory)https://www.flickr.com/photos/freg/4898274127/sizes/l
• The Design Process, slide 5http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2007/03/designers_are_t.html
• What to show picture (Austin Kelon)https://medium.com/show-your-work/10-ways-to-share-your-creativity-and-get-discovered-7fb5fdfbc068
• Toast (Brittany Wright)http://wrightkitchen.com/
• Good Typography, slide 8 http://www.creativebeacon.com/good-typography-essential-guide/
• Apples in order (Brittany Wright)http://wrightkitchen.com/y2nw75k59pu5xp0rms8tuc6vjdsu90
• Good, Bad Scale http://marketingtobridesonline.com/what-do-i-think-of-your-website-2-2/360-good-bad-scale/
• Poster Presentation PGCD WPPhttp://www.glogster.com/nmp2012/wwp-academic-poster/g-6ljcd66c8dpumm1k4nkc1a0
• Professional Templatehttp://www.slideserve.com/nevan/professional-template-for-a-48x36-poster-presentation
Danger don’t spread diseasehttps://www.pinterest.com/pin/366339750921959061/
Please keep the library tidyhttp://paperzip.co.uk/classroom/banners-posters/keep-the-library-tidy