The following information was
supplied by the Society for Technical Communication:
Display Design
Hints
Overall
Considerations
Display Panels
Colors
Good Color Combinations
Panel Layout
Lettering/Font/Headlines/Body Text
Graphs and
Pictures
Note that these hints are about the
visual design of your display board, not the scientific content of
your project.
Overall
Considerations
A good display is important to your
project. The purpose of your display is to grab people's interest
and tell them the story of your project, all in the short time they
may spend looking at it. The display should stress the most
important ideas, then provide some detail once interest has been
stirred. If the display is hard to read, if it is cluttered with
less important details, or if there is no logical way to follow the
project from idea to conclusion, people may not make the extra
effort to understand what you have done. Here are a few ideas to
help you design a good display.
Display Panels
A free-standing display creates an enclosed environment for your
project and is ready to go anywhere. It's not hard to make a 3-panel
display that is hinged and free-standing.
Some craft and office supply stores
sell pre-made project boards. You may prefer to give it the personal
touch by making your own board.
Some good panel materials:
-
Mat board: Available at art supply
stores
-
Cardboard: Anywhere you can find
it
-
Poster board: Available at variety
stores (needs to be reinforced)
-
Duct tape or masking tape:
Available at hardware/paint/variety stores. Good for making
invisible masking tape "hinges" on the back of your panels to
connect three panels together.
-
Latex paint: Good for creating a
one-color, nonpatterned background.
-
Construction paper or fade-free
craft paper
Top of page
Colors
Your colors should serve a specific
purpose. You might use colors to unite certain aspects of your
project that belong together. Colors can also convey or reinforce
certain ideas. For example, in a heat exchange experiment, red might
convey hot and blue cold. A bright color among pale colors, or
against black and white, can make something really stand out. An
overall color theme can give focus to your display and make it
easier to read and more pleasing to look at. (Including your report
cover in your color theme is a nice touch, too!)
Too many colors, or colors that don't
go together, will detract from your display. For example, a yellow
background with a red border and blue and green type could be garish
and hard to read; the blue and green might be too much alike to tell
apart easily, and the red and yellow might be too bright for their
purpose. Be stingy with your colors; save them for when they are
most needed!
Good Color Combinations
-
Dark or vibrant blue or green with
white accents
-
Black with red or white accents
-
Red with black or white accents
-
Black with strong yellow accents
Panel Layout
A good layout has balance. Pictures
don't have to be the same size or look the same; in fact, that might
be boring! Placement is what matters. One large photo or picture can
be balanced with two or three small ones. A good picture can be
worth 1,000 words, so think about the photos or illustrations you
will use to summarize the various aspects of your project.
Top of page
Lettering/Font/Headlines/Body Text
The attention-getting headlines should
be readable from way down the aisle. The subheads should be readable
from across the aisle, and the body text by someone standing next to
your display.
Headlines and subheads can be colorful
and artistic, as long as they remain clearly readable. Plain
headlines and subheads are also very nice, because they look neat
and orderly. With headlines and subheads, use your own good judgment
(and keep it readable!).
Body text, labels, and captions have
more rules. Text in these areas tends to be smaller, so you have to
keep it simpler to make it readable. Do not use "fancy" font styles.
Text in script, all capitals, or ornate styles can be difficult to
read. Avoid patterned printer paper or graphic backdrops directly
under text. Do not use white text on a black background. Make the
text big enough for a person with average eyesight to see from an
arm's length away. The best combination is plain black text on white
paper!
Always keep in mind the main goal of
your text, which is to easily communicate the subject and details of
your project to the reader.
Graphs and
Pictures
-
Always label the axes on your
graphs.
-
Always add captions to your images
and photographs.
-
Always give credit where credit is
due: To photographers for their pictures, to website URLs for
their content or graphics, and to any other outside sources
you've referenced on your display.
STC Judging Hints
(useful for students and judges)
STC
Abstract Q&A and Hints
STC Contests
Top of page
