Poster Presenter Resources

Poster Sessions are a valuable opportunity for authors to present papers and meet with interested attendees for in-depth technical discussions. The poster sessions at the Automated Vehicles Symposium are very well attended and a popular feature of the event. 

Good planning can make your presentation clear, effective and rewarding. Designing effective posters requires careful thought and advanced preparation. Posters that are simply a PowerPoint presentation or short manuscript do not work. 

The goals in designing a poster should be: 

  • To attract attention 
  • To provide a clear overview of your work 
  • To provide enough material to explain the research without an oral explanation 
  • To provide enough material to initiate discussion and questions. 

NOTE: The posters will be in a public space so poster presenters are responsible for the security of their own materials. Commercial advertising of products or services is not allowed. 

Logistics 

Poster Sessions will take place during the evening reception on Tuesday and Wednesday from 5:30 - 7:00 PM. 

  • Presenters should plan to arrive 15 minutes before the poster session to set-up. Please view the POSTER agenda on the symposium website to confirm your presentation date, your poster presentation number, and to ensure your information is accurate. 
  • Presenters will be provided with a 4 foot (121 cm) high by 8 foot (242 cm) wide display board. Please note your poster presentation has been assigned a number which will correspond to your display board space at the symposium. 
  • No electrical power or table will be provided. Posters are attached to the display boards with push pins which will be provided. Lightweight poster board or paper will stay up – foam core will not. The boards are rented and may not be written on or defaced in any way. There are no provisions for making posters at the meeting, receiving, storing, or returning posters to authors.
  • Any Posters not removed after the session will be recycled. 

Suggestions for Making Your Presentation a Success 

Simplicity and clarity are the keys to an effective poster. 

Simplicity- Avoid overwhelming viewers with too much information, the casual viewer should be able to identify the main messages after a quick look at the poster.

Clarity - Identify a limited number of messages viewers should take away – three is about the maximum number possible. The messages should be clear, novel, and important. 

General Design 

  • Viewers find it easier to follow a poster printed on one large sheet with the material arranged in columns. Arrange material in a logical sequence that is clear to readers (typically starting at top left and ending at bottom right. 
  • Strong visual contrast is critical – many people have trouble distinguishing between closely related colors. For example, approximately 7 percent of the male population—either cannot distinguish red from green or see red and green differently. 
  • Text and illustrations should be easily readable from 3 feet away. 
  • Color is a good tool to highlight important points, however too many colors make poster look “busy” and make it difficult for viewers to find the critical points. 
  • Use pictures, graphs, and tables instead of text where possible – try for 50% graphics. 

Text 

  • Text should be dark on white or light paper 
  • Long paragraphs will not be read – use short statements or bullet points. 
  • Avoid abbreviations, acronyms, and jargon 
  • Try to state your main results in 6 lines or less 
  • Use sans serif fonts (ex. Arial or Helvetica) not serif fonts (ex. Times Roman) 

Illustrations 

  • Charts, drawings, and illustrations should be similar to those used in PowerPoint presentations but simpler and more heavily drawn 
  • Illustrations should include titles or labels, labeled axes and identified units 

Content 

The specific elements will depend on the research and should include: 

  • Title, poster and paper number, author names, institutional affiliation - Letters 1 - 2” high – across the top of the poster 
  • Introduction / Objectives 
  • Statistical or Analytical Methods 
  • Summary / Results 
  • Conclusions 
  • Future Directions 
  • Acknowledgements 

Presenting your poster 

  • Prepare a short presentation (about 5 minutes) to give periodically to those assembled around the poster 
  • Have handouts and/or business cards 
  • Sketch paper and a couple of markers can help in conversations with viewers 

Production Steps 

  • Start with a set of initial sketches. 
  • Chose the best sketch and make a rough draft at the final poster size. 
  • A chalkboard or white board is a good starting point. 
  • Have colleagues or peers review the rough draft. 
  • Finalize the poster content and print a draft version – check that the poster is legible from 3 feet; the color contrast is sufficient, etc. 
  • Print the final version.