Creating a Poster Session For high impact and engagement…

Why Present a Poster at the Quality Fair? It’s FUN! Celebrate your unit’s progress Reflect on elements of your success Connect with others from across campus Help others learn from your experience to solve their challenges and propel University into a more successful future

Criteria for an Effective Poster Clearly articulate opportunity/challenge Illustrate method used to address the challenge Demonstrate benefits to your unit and/or across campus –Visual display of the project/process Flowcharts Before and after pictures Graphs Project Improvement Charter Form Show how the approach might be applied in other units (if appropriate)

Highlight Potential Benefits Enhanced service to students, faculty, staff Advanced the campus strategic priorities: exceptional students, exceptional faculty and staff, exceptional organization, exceptional innovation Saved time and/or resources Improved campus climate Increased effectiveness and/or efficiency

Project Improvement Charter DRAFT The Charter template will help you document your project/process improvement Once completed, you have a tool to organize your poster exhibit Documenting Your Improvement

Who Is My Audience? Campus Leaders and Administrators Faculty Staff Students

Basic Poster Session Example 36” x 48” foam core poster, 6 foot tables We encourage Creative Ideas / New ideas welcome

Poster Judging Criteria 1.The poster clearly “tells the story” by answering the questions:  What was the challenge or problem faced?  What is the innovative idea or change that met the challenge? 2.The poster includes data that demonstrates measurable outcomes identifying that the challenge was met and successful. 3.The poster identifies next steps, lessons learned and/or how this change is sustainable over time. 4.Visual appeal of the poster and the two-minute poster presentation. The following four points outline the judging criteria for the 2011 Quality Fair:

Poster Judging Criteria (cont.) The judges will be expecting a two- minute presentation at the time of initial judging. The judges will be using a 5-point rating scale on each of the four areas noted above with 5 being the highest score.

Design Tips Keep things simple Use graphics Limit the amount of text Use fonts that are easy to read

Assembly Options Cut and paste Create your visual display in PowerPoint or Word Print each component in finished size Attach components to poster board

Poster Resources

Sources for Materials Printing Services (print small quantities of 12” x 18” or smaller posters on Docu-color machine for reasonable rates) U Sign Shop (large format printing, mounting, laminating, banners, etc.) Copy Centers for color and black and white output

Handout Materials (50-75 copies should be sufficient) Completed summary of Improvement Charter Additional handouts are only necessary if they will help to further explain or clarify your improvemaent Suggestion: have a sign-up sheet available for materials that you may run out of.

More Information To explore ideas for a poster exhibit, please contact: Gail M. Sauter at or J P Hagerty at