What You Need to Have on Formal Poster Structure Part One

Posters should not all be made in the same pattern since here is where originality may flourish, rather than being suffocated by a tight corset. However, certain elements are shared by all posters. The sequence does not have to be the same as it is here. Using a grid or guidance while creating a poster might be beneficial. You may utilize two, three, or four columns. Text and graphics may be spread over many columns. 

Header Area 

A heading or a header is not required on all posters. Typically, the logo design of the institution where the principal author works is shown here. The institutions have criteria for the usage and positioning of the logo based on this. 

Title Area 

The title should be visible (easily legible from 5-10m), concise, and not too long. For reasons of space, it is often placed next to the logo, which is not always following the institution's guidelines (e.g., the University of Zurich requires that the space to the right of the logo be left blank). 

Author Photo and Address 

In poster exhibitions where the authors are not always standing next to their poster, it is advisable to put a photo on the poster to be recognized and addressed if necessary. At least one contact address (the email address is often sufficient) should be available. It must be ensured that all authors and their affiliations are listed. The latter can also be used as a footnote. 

Main Area 

The main area can be further subdivided and structured, for example, into several columns or with an illustration that goes across all columns, etc. The main message of the poster is presented in this area.