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PosterDesignWorkshop

1. PurposeandDesignPostersessionsarecommonatacademicconferencesandoftenafirstwayofpublishingforyoungresearchers.Inordertocreateaposterthatfulfilsaparticularpurposegiventhetargetgroup,thepurpose,theaims,thevenueandsoonyouneedtoconsidermanyfactors.Thepurposeofthisworkshopistoprovidetheparticipantswithasetofquestionsthatwillhelpthemdesigngoodposters.Theworkshopconsistsofseveralsessions:

• Basicconceptsandexamples• Exercise:Discussingposter

features(pairs)• Exercise:Designyourown

posterandgivefeedbackonothers(triads)

• Toolsandsupportavailable

Inordertocreateagoodworkshop,somesuccessfactorsneedtobeconsidered:

• Createagoodteamwithatleastoneinnovationadvisorandonecommunicationofficer

• Useagoodvenuewhereyoucandobothpresentationsandhaveacreativeworkshop

• Timetheworkshopinsuchawaythatthemajorityoftheparticipantswillsoondorealpostersforaconference

• IftheparticipantsarePhDstudents,makesureaseniorresearcherispresenttovouchfortheimportanceofcreatinggoodposters

• Use,ifpossible,examplesfromthesamedepartmentastheparticipants• Makeuseoftheparticipantsownexperiences

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2. Roles• Innovationadvisor-needstohaveexperiencefromresearchandpresenting

postersatacademicconferences• CommunicationOfficer-shouldbeabletoputcommunicationtroughposters

intothecontextofthewholedepartmentandresearchprocess,andwellversedinthetoolsavailable

• Participants-shouldbeinvitedtoparticipateandaskedtocontributewiththeirownexperienceandgoodquestions

• Seniorresearcher-shouldvouchfortheimportanceofmakinggoodposters

3. ProcessTheprocessconsistsofthreesteps:

1. Invitation2. Workshop3. Follow-up

Invitation

Thecommunicationofficerorsomebodyfromthedepartmentmanagementsendoutaninvitation.Itisrecommendedtosendsomequestionsandtipsalreadyintheconfirmationinordertotriggerthoughtsaboutthetopic.Examplesofquestionstoincludeintheconfirmation:

• Thinkaboutthepurposeofyourposter–whatdoyouwantthereadertofeel,thinkanddo?

• Comeupwithanideaforatitleandthinkaboutwhatmakesatitlereallygood.• Considerwhatillustrationstoinclude.• Lookforpostersyouconsiderarereallygoodandthinkaboutwhyyoulikethem.

Also,providetipssuchasthisonefromColinPurrington:http://colinpurrington.com/tips/poster-designespeciallyhissuggestionforagoodposterstructure:http://colinpurrington.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/scientific-poster-advice-purrington.pdf

Workshop

Theworkshopisdesignedtotakeaboutthreehours,whereacoffeebreakisintegrated.Makesureit'seasytogetcoffeenearthevenueor,preferably,haveitinsidetheroom.Makesurethatyoucandobothpresentationsandhaveacreativeworkshopintheroom.Youneedthefollowingmaterial:

• Printedexamplesofpostersforthepairexercise• Flip-chartpapers,post-itsandcolouredthickmarkersfortheexercisewhere

theydesignpostersandgivefeedback

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• Tapetoputuptheposters

Follow-up

Aftertheworkshop,sendoutthepresentationandthelinksagaintoreferencesandtothetoolsavailable.Ifpossible,offercoachingduringthecontinuedprocess.Emphasisetheimportanceofhelpingeachotherwithconstructivefeedback.

Moreinformation

Formoreinformation,contacttheInnovationOfficeorcheckoutourwebsite!

innovationskontor.chalmers.se

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