The checklist for a winning conference poster

1. Before you start: the message

• Define the key message a viewer should grasp in under a minute
• Know your audience: subject specialists or a non-expert panel
• Build the title around that message, not a bland descriptive label
• Keep it short: most guides aim for 800 to 1200 words

2. Structure the sections (IMRaD)

For a research poster. A clinical case poster follows a different outline: Introduction, Case Description, Discussion (American College of Physicians).

• Introduction and background
• Methods
• Results, the visual focal point of the poster
• Conclusion and take-home message
• References: 3 to 5 at most, the rest on a handout
• Acknowledgements and funding

3. Make it readable from a distance

• Sans-serif typeface for both headings and body text
• Title readable at 5 m, body text readable at 1 m (CMGF guideline)
• Sizes recommended by universities: title 72 pt or more, sections 42 pt, body 24 pt, captions 18 pt
• Little text in large type: the most common mistake is putting in too much

4. Show, don't tell: visuals and data

• Favour charts and figures over dense text
• Aim for a text / visual balance of about 50 / 50, ideally 30 % text
• Give every figure and chart a caption
• Use images at 150 to 300 DPI at final size, no blurry web screenshots

5. Colour and accessibility

• Check text / background contrast (tool: WebAIM Contrast Checker)
• Never convey information by colour alone: add shapes or patterns (colour blindness)
• Prefer a light background: some institutions reject dark backgrounds

6. Don't forget

• Authors and affiliations
• Institution logos
• Contact details so people can reach you
• A QR code to an abstract, the article or a contact page (a takeaway)
• Any regulatory notices, e.g. an ethics approval number for a clinical study

7. Format and printing

Folio Poster exports a print-ready vector PDF. If your printer requires it, they may ask for a CMYK profile or bleed: check that directly with them.

• Check the conference guidelines first: size and orientation are sometimes mandatory
• Pick the right size: A0 (841 × 1189 mm) in Europe, often 36 × 48 inches in the US
• Export a high-quality PDF
• Proofread one last time: typos, figures, author names

8. On the day: presenting your poster

• Prepare a pitch under a minute: topic, result, significance
• Have several versions ready depending on interest: 1, 5 and 10 minutes
• Stand beside your poster, greet people and introduce yourself
• Anticipate questions, from experts and non-specialists alike