Career Catalyst

Optimize Your Conference

Posters Impact
Engineers routinely optimize process designs;
poster designs need optimization too.
Use these techniques and strategies
to create a poster that captures and holds
the viewers attention.
L. P. Driskill
Rice Univ.

W Suneetha Burla (right) from SAFER Systems, Camarillo, CA, discusses the poster,
Guidelines for Sensor Siting at Industrial Facilities, March 23, 2010, at the AIChE
Spring Meeting in San Antonio, TX. Photo by Roberta Barnes.

an your poster attract and hold an audience in four

seconds? Thats what poster presentations at AIChE
conferences need to do.
Many conference attendees value poster sessions
because they can control how their time is spent and can
select personally valuable information quickly. Most are
looking for cutting-edge ideas and research results, but they
may also look for prospective faculty members, new hires
for industry, and collaborators for new projects. Surprisingly,
most engineers appear to decide in less than five seconds
whether to stop and read a poster or to walk on. You must
help audiences quickly recognize the value of your project.
An intensive analysis of 154 posters presented at an
AIChE Annual Meeting found that only 20% of the posters
had an optimal design. The most common problems were:
titles did not communicate the projects purpose and
significance
the organization of the posters sections did not reflect
the projects message
headings did not summarize points about the project
poor legibility resulted from too much text, small point
sizes, and poor use of color.
In contrast, the best posters helped visitors: decide
quickly whether to stay and read the poster; comprehend
the authors argument; gauge the professional value of the
work; and enjoy the interpersonal and intercultural appeal of
Copyright 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

the display. A poster that ranks high on all of these criteria

has optimal value for all possible audiences. The following
guidelines can help you create a design that maximizes the
posters effectiveness.

Communicate the projects

purpose and signicance quickly
As viewers approach a poster, the size and legibility of
its title as well as its words meanings influence the
audiences first decision about whether to view the poster
in detail. Some title treatments fail because the background
and the title are in equally bright, competing colors (such
as bright red on bright blue). If wordart has been used to
stretch, shade, or contort the title, the extra second it takes
to read the title uses up one of those four precious decisionmaking seconds.
Several design techniques can help draw the viewers
attention to the title:
the size of the type
a clearly defined area that showcases the title
a contrasting color for the type that sets it off from the
rest of the poster and links it to the major headings.
Make your title answer the viewers questions. Many
titles announce only the topic, such as Oxidation of
Lactose, when the viewer really wants to know the project type (research, design, modeling, and so on) and the
CEP

August 2010

www.aiche.org/cep

43

Career Catalyst

projects significance (new application, improved process,

economic benefits, etc.).
The grammatical structure also contributes to the
ease with which a viewer grasps a posters argument. For
example, Treatment of Waste Streams Containing Copper
(II) Ions and Organic Compounds Using Polyethyleneimine
(PEI) has highly specific words. However, the participle
using, which signals a means or method to produce an
effect, doesnt occur until the eleventh word in a twelveword title. If the syntax had been altered to Using Polyethyleneimine (PEI) to Improve Treatment of Waste Streams ...,
the cause-effect message about changes to the process would
have been perceived from the outset, and the significance
implicit in improve would have been conveyed also. Signaling the kind of improvement (economic, efficiency, and so
on) would have been even better.
As often as possible, rephrase titles to indicate the project type and its significance as well as the topic, and be as
specific as possible.

Arrange sections to create

an obvious visual argument
Almost before reading the title, the viewer has also
detected the macro organization of the poster and that organizations intrinsic meaning i.e., its visual argument. Thanks
to a mental capacity called subitizing (1), it takes only a fraction of a second for human brains to determine how many
items or how many areas are contained in a display.
Psychologists have demonstrated that the more items
present, the harder it is for a viewer to detect how many there
are, the longer it takes, and the poorer the viewers accuracy.
If multiple items are aligned in groups or patterns, however,
additional cognitive capacities enable the viewer to make
sense of the array more accurately (1, 2). A coherent visual
or graphic hierarchy, such as one with larger-to-smaller type
and color coding, speeds the interpretive task.
Whether the viewer recognizes the principal sections as
a meaningful pattern depends on the macro organization of
the areas. Blank space helps create patterns; it pushes smaller
elements apart, forming distinct groups that can be seen as
part of the macro organization. Additional cues, such as color
regularities, lines, arrows, color bars behind headings, and
graphic hierarchies of type, can reinforce this macro pattern.
Specific visual arguments and spatial arrangements are
associated with the different genres of conference posters:
research posters, design (or improved design) posters, new
applications of known methods posters, candidate/career
posters, problem analysis posters, and sales posters.
For example, research posters tend to include the introduction, methods, results, and discussion (IMRD) components common in scientific articles. Problems occur when
research article headings are imposed on a different type
44

www.aiche.org/cep

August 2010

CEP

S Figure 1. In a research poster, the results are displayed above the

method, because the results are usually of greater interest.

S Figure 2. Design posters usually highlight the flowsheet or an

equipment diagram in the center of the poster. Performance data on purity,
profitability, or efficiency will be critical.

of poster. Design posters present the problem/motivation,

design, and confirmation of the designs appropriate performance. The design itself is usually featured prominently
in a diagram, drawing, or photo. The confirmation section
usually shows equations and calculations, along with graphs
that demonstrate desired performance.
The presence of such expected components affects the
first-glance perceptions of a specific poster. This helps the
viewer determine whether the poster fits into a particular
category of interest.
Look at the sample layouts in Figures 14. Their
arrangement of areas signals typical patterns associated
with project types. Notice the global cohesion suggested by
the arrangement of big areas.
In the research poster (Figure 1), the results are shown
Copyright 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

S Figure 3. In this application poster, arrows lead the viewers eyes from
the summary of the process to its applications.

S Figure 4. A candidate poster usually has a summary of qualifications in

the left-hand column and organizes the rest of the space horizontally.

above the method. Since many methods are standard, the

results are usually of greater interest than the method
unless the method itself is the new and significant element
in the research.
The design poster in Figure 2 features the new process
prominently in the center of the poster. The method of
design may be insignificant; performance or justification, in
terms of purity, profitability, or efficiency, will be critical.
The new applications poster in Figure 3 uses arrows to
lead the viewers eyes from the summary of the process (or
method) to the applications.
In a candidate poster (Figure 4), a summary of qualifications usually appears in the left-hand column and the rest
of the space is organized horizontally into the familiar three
components valued in academic institutions: research, teaching, and service.

Signal a path for the viewers eyes

A viewers culturally learned pattern for reading usually
contributes to his or her expectations. Westerners tend to
expect information design to place a summary or abstract
at the beginning of the exposition (after the title and author
information), in the upper left corner or in another foregrounded, emphasized space. Non-Westerners are more
familiar with an upper right to lower left pattern. Thus, the
posters design needs to signal a path that the viewers eyes
should follow. If the poster clearly indicates the path with
numbers, colored arrows, framing colors, and so on it
will direct the viewers eyes whether the organization is
from left to right or right to left.
Identical areas (such as PowerPoint slides) arranged in
a grid should be grouped with lines or colored backgrounds
to guide the readers eyes. When the margins on all sides of
the slides are the same, the viewer cannot necessarily tell
whether to read across the row horizontally or down vertically. It is also hard to make the titles on PowerPoint slides
large enough to read from several feet away or to signal
groups of slides.
Paying extra attention to visual guidance is important,
because the majority of poster session viewers at AIChE
conferences are likely to expect a left-to-right pattern of
organization. When the title area occurs on the right and the
exposition area lacks reinforcing signals, viewers experience
at least a temporary confusion about what path their eyes
should follow.
Control color contrasts
to emphasize the spatial argument
Color combinations strongly affect the perception of
both macro organization and technical argument. A viewer
quickly recognizes similar shapes and colors, and expects
those similarities to be meaningful. Contrast helps the viewer
know what parts of the argument are of equal weight as well
as how they fit together in the macro pattern.
When colors compete because they are of equal
intensity, it is harder to see the larger organization. The
poster in Figure 5 on the next page attracts attention with
red ovals and white rectangles on a blue background. The
high-intensity contrast between the red ovals and the blue
background draws a viewers eye from one red oval to
another without signaling an argument structure. The red
headings are hard to read; the black text inside the red
ovals is not easily legible against the bright red background (low contrast); and the high-level argument pattern
is hard to decipher quickly. The dense table of information in the center of the poster also signals a long reading
time. The friendly presenters had to rely on their smiles
and relaxed stances to welcome viewers to an otherwise
ambiguous poster.
Article continues on next page

Copyright 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

CEP

August 2010

www.aiche.org/cep

45

Career Catalyst

comprehension of the presenters argument, and they are not

key to the read/not read decision. Descriptive, explicit headings increase comprehension more efficiently.

S Figure 5. In this poster, the equally intense blue background and red
areas compete for attention, making it hard to decide where to look first.

S Figure 6. PowerPoint templates do not always translate well to poster

size. Even with accessible graphs and diagrams, the background color
pattern and small, heavy text discourage potential readers.

Deliver your message

with high-specicity major headings
A viewer attempts to grasp the meaning of a posters
sections with a glimpse at the major headings. If the poster
uses the IMRD structure, the viewer can guess the type of
information, but not the specific semantic content of the section or how it relates to the title. The reader will need to turn
to the abstract or summary, if the poster has one, to get the
point. If time is short, he or she will likely move on.
Explicit headings help viewers perceive the projects
value. However, a heading of Summary or Abstract is
indeed important for visual efficiency, because initially the
viewer is trying to comprehend the overall visual argument, and Summary shows the reader where to look for
the highest-priority information related to the read/not read
decision. Method and Results add little to a readers
46

www.aiche.org/cep

August 2010

CEP

Summarize your message legibly

An abstract or summary helps viewers who are trying to
determine how valuable a poster will be for their own interests. Comprehensibility matters to them, and the summary
contributes to the efficiency of their decision-making. The
summary should contain a brief statement of the research
challenge, the projects activities, and outcomes.
The poster summary or abstract should be in especially
large, legible type, and can be broken into paragraphs or bullets. It is not the same as a journal article abstract.
Presenters who display this key element in small type
and in a single, unbroken stream of text (as in a technical
journal article) do so in opposition to viewers needs and
their own interests. Older engineers, who are often in decision-making positions, may have trouble reading abstracts
displayed in small point sizes.
Enhance legibility for easy reading
A text-heavy design, especially one that lacks blank
space around text areas, deters readers. If other design
choices also reduce reading efficiency, such as an intrusive
background image or low-contrast color combinations for
the background and text (e.g., light yellow type on a pastel
blue background), many people will choose to walk on.
The poster in Figure 6 illustrates the problems of
intrusive background, too much text, and a small-point-size
title. The highly visible, large figures in this poster did not
compensate for the burden of excess text and low legibility.
The background pattern in Figure 6 appears to be from
a PowerPoint template. Although suitable for projecting a
bullet-point list that is large relative to the background, these
templates are sometimes problematic when used for a poster
because of the latters large format and much smaller type
(in relation to the overall area). Such problems arise when
an author views the elements of a poster only on a small
computer screen.
Set your computer display to 100% and step back about
five feet to see the effect of text choices. Scroll to other parts
of the poster, such as figures, and step away again to judge
their legibility. The details you consider essential will be
irrelevant if the viewer concludes that reading your poster
will be too much trouble.
A background image can add visual drama. However,
one that interferes with legibility increases reading time. For
example, the background of the poster in Figure 7 overwhelms the legibility of the white (or reversed) type that
falls on the yellow portions of the image.
Since most conference attendees have a limited amount
Copyright 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

of time available for visiting the poster hall, anything that

increases visual efficiency is valuable. In Figure 7, aesthetic
appeal and novelty are powerful attractive forces, but the
difficult-to-read title and text reduce the posters accessibility and make it largely unsuccessful.

Slim down fat text

Avoid long sentences. Use the active voice, with what
is doing the action in the subject position if it is not clearly
indicated in the heading. Then look for parallel or equivalent
elements that can be made into a bullet list.
For example, consider the following fat text, which
goes on for 25 words: The ideal anesthetic should quickly
make the patient unconscious but allow a quick return to
consciousness, have few side effects, and be safe to handle.
This can be pared down to a heading and 10 words:
Ideal anesthetic
few side effects
quick recovery
safe to handle

quick sedation

Legibility depends on both point size and the contrast

between the text and the background. When the text and
background color are similar in intensity (equally bright or
equally pastel), readers have a hard time distinguishing the
text. In Figure 8, the bright yellow headings and the hot pink
type of the abstract are not clearly visible against the bright
blue background and are difficult to read. Although the
colors are visually appealing, they should be combined with
high-contrast type, as they are in the callouts
beside the graphs. Notice how much more legible the callouts appear than the headings above
the graphs.
The colors in Figure 8 appeared in several
posters authored by engineers from South Asian
institutions or companies. They were frequently
combined, as in this example, with national
colors, such as the bright coral, lime green, and
tan in the title areas. Many East Asian engineers
seem to prefer red backgrounds, a culturally
positive, even celebratory, color, combined with
yellow-gold type and green accents. When the
type is a serif font, the variable shaft width of
the numbers and letters makes the equations
and figures difficult to read, especially when the
type is small. Yellow-gold type on a bright aqua
background has the same effect.
Authors do not need to adopt Western
patterns of organization, but all presenters must

S Figure 7. The yellow portions of this background image make reading

the small white text a challenge. Coupled with section heading text that is
too small and a layout with an unclear macro organization, the dramatic
background leaves the visual argument even more difficult to follow.

X Figure 8. Equal color intensity and low contrast contribute

to poor legibility.

Copyright 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

CEP

August 2010

www.aiche.org/cep

47

Career Catalyst

pay attention to legibility when choosing colors and directing viewers to the macro organization of information. With
appropriate cues, such as numbers, arrows, and colored
areas, designers can guide the viewers attention.

Reinforce ideas with design choices

The author of the poster in Figure 9 has clearly defined
the posters macro organization and used high-contrast color
combinations to define major headings. Using the same gold
color for the title and the background of major headings links
the title and headings. The summary is large and in easy-toread type. The poster could have been improved even more
with changes to font size, especially in the graph labels.
The engineer in Figure 10 has signaled the macro-level
organization of the poster by dividing the main area into
three columns devoted to the current problem, the design

S Figure 9. Aparna Sarasam, from Oklahoma State Univ., presents her

poster, Blending Chitosan with Polycaprolactone: Effects on Physicochemical and Antibacterial Properties, at an AIChE meeting. The poster employs
easy-to-read headings reinforced by effective color choices.

process, and the designs applications and validation, making

the arrangement reflect the title of his teams poster, Design
of Cathode Air Filters for PEM Fuel Cell Applications.

Emphasize professional value

References, future work, and acknowledgement sections
signal that you are a professional engaged in a stream of
ongoing work that has been the subject of others investigations. These sections show that you belong to a professional
engineering community and that you are ethically bound to
others, including those viewing your posters. Your professional status also rises when you acknowledge mentors or
assistants, funding agencies, and corporate sponsors.
Provide detailed contact information. There is a chance
that you may not be present when an important viewer
strolls by your poster. By displaying your postal and e-mail
addresses, you aid viewers in noticing you as well as your
work. Some presenters also include the time and location of
their conference talks, letting the posters advertise their sessions. Prospective employers and collaborators will be able
to contact you later, which may be the beginning of a fruitful
relationship. That is worth a few inches of poster space.
Final comments
By paying attention to organization and legibility,
authors can maximize a posters accessibility, comprehensibility, professional value, and appeal to create a high-quality
presentation that can lead to professional recognition and
advancement. It is important for practicing engineers and
engineering students about to enter the chemical enginering
profession to understand the aesthetic principles presented
here. Armed with such knowledge, presenters can optimize
their poster designs to take advantage of advances in communication technologies while achieving both their own and
CEP
their organizations goals.
L. P. DRISKILL is a professor at Rice Univ. in Houston, TX. For ten years
she directed Rices Cain Project in Engineering and Professional Communication, which was highlighted in the 2004 U.S. News and World
Report Guide to Graduate Education in Engineering. A survey of communication instruction at top-ranked U.S. and Canadian engineering
schools described it as one of the most innovative programs in the
U.S. Driskill is the co-author of two communication textbooks and
articles on international and intercultural communication, medical
communication, visual argument, and communication theory as well
as the AIChE poster study on which this article is based.

Literature Cited
1.

S Figure 10. Daniel Kennedy, of Auburn Univ., presents his poster,

Design of Cathode Air Filters from PEM Fuel Cell Applications. This is a
good example of a macro-level arrangement consistent with the rhetorical
argument and title.

48

www.aiche.org/cep

August 2010

CEP

2.

Mandler, G., and B. J. Shebo, Subitizing: An Analysis of its

Component Processes, Journal of Experimental Psychology:
General, 111 (1), pp. 122 (Mar. 1982).
Dehaene, S., The Number Sense: How the Mind Creates Mathematics, Oxford Univ. Press, New York, NY (1997).

Copyright 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)