Digital poster presentations

Presentation slide guidelines and tips

Your digital poster plays a huge role in your presentation's success. To make sure your visuals are on point, keep the following in mind:

Presentation format: Digital posters must be prepared as a single slide in portrait orientation, mirroring the style of a traditional poster. Please use Microsoft Office PowerPoint (PPT), which is compatible with the Windows operating system, for creating your poster.
NB. Executable files (e.g. Adobe Flash, Google Slides, Prezi) are not compatible with our presentation management system. 

To ensure your poster displays optimally on the screen, we recommend using the provided slide template. If you choose to use your own template, ensure it is optimised for widescreen, and is portrait orientation. Adjust your slide size by choosing the "Design" tab, clicking on the "Page Setup" button, and selecting widescreen (16:9) and portrait orientation from the top navigation menu. Don't forget to also adjust your slide content as necessary to fit the portrait layout properly.
NB. It is not possible to convert the standard 4x3 aspect ratio presentation or landscape to portrait orientation once onsite.

Clear organisation: Organise your digital poster logically, using headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break up information and make it easy to read. Ensure your digital poster provides enough context so attendees can understand your research and findings. Include a clear introduction, methods, results, and conclusion.

Consistency:  Use consistent branding throughout your digital poster. Use a uniform background colour, text size, text colour, and font throughout your presentation to help attendees follow the flow of your ideas. Consider building your presentation using the slide master.

Typography: Use sans-serif fonts like Arial, Helvetica, Calibri, or Verdana. Make your text easily readable from a distance. Use dark text on a light background for readability. If using a dark background, increase font size by two or three points. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and avoid long blocks of text.

Colour and contrast: Use dark text on a light background for readability. If using a dark background, increase font size by two or three points. Leave enough white space between sections of your digital poster to make it visually appealing and easy to read. Don't clutter your digital poster with too much information.

Eye-catching visuals: Use visuals such as photos, charts, and graphs to illustrate key points and make your digital poster more engaging. Ensure they are relevant and add value to your poster's content - graphics and images should enhance, not distract from, the content. Icons and symbols can quickly communicate information. For example, use a magnifying glass icon to highlight important data.

Accessibility: Ensure your digital poster is accessible to everyone, employing high contrast colours, large font sizes, and descriptive alt text for images to enhance readability and usability.

Check for errors: Always proofread your digital poster carefully, checking for spelling and grammar errors. Also, make sure all information is accurate and up-to-date. Get a second pair of eyes to look it over for mistakes you may have missed.

Effective presentation practices

Conference is exciting but can also be mentally tiring for both presenters and attendees therefore it’s crucial to provide clear and concise information as well as keep them engaged by active involvement. Check out these helpful tips for delivering a presentation that captivates and informs:

Explain data: Keep in mind that attendees may not be familiar with the data you're presenting. To help them grasp your point, be sure to explain what they should be looking for.

Repetition: Repetition is key! Use it throughout your presentation to help attendees understand the facts.

Be approachable and friendly: Smile, greet attendees, and be open to questions and feedback.

Prepare an elevator pitch: Develop a brief summary of your research that you can deliver in 30-60 seconds.

Engage attendees in discussion: Ask about their research interests and experiences and encourage them to share their opinions and insights.

Lengthy replies: For questions that require a lengthy reply, suggest meeting after the presentation to take the discussion offline.

The big day: Time to share your expertise

Excitement is in the air as the moment we've all been waiting for has finally arrived! You're gearing up to share your brilliant research and expert knowledge with your peers. For 2024. we're excited to introduce the Knowledge Hub in the exhibition area—a dedicated space designed to enhance the interaction around digital poster presentations. To ensure your digital poster presentation goes off without a hitch, please keep the following details in mind:

Arriving at the venue: On arrival to the venue, simply head to the registration desk to collect your conference lanyard and check-in.

Check-in with the Presenter Prep Hub: Don't forget to check in with the Presenter Prep Hub team at least three (3) hours before your session starts.

Arrive early: To ensure a seamless presentation, presenters should arrive at the Knowledge Hub at least 10 minutes prior to the start of your allocated time.

Room set-up: The Knowledge Hub will offer theatre (rows of seats facing forward) style seating, and standing room.

Equipment: The Knowledge Hub will be equipped with a lectern, microphone, and vertical screen. Due to logistical considerations and technical limitations, please note that only the in-house equipment provided must be used; outside equipment cannot be accommodated. 

Scheduled presentation times: Each presenter has been allocated a specific time slot to showcase their digital poster, details of which can be found in the conference online program. During your allocated time, your digital poster will be displayed on the vertical screen. We encourage you to be present to discuss your research, answer questions, and interact with attendees. This setup is designed to foster informal interactions and direct engagement with attendees, rather than serving as a replacement for a traditional oral presentation.
NB: We highly encourage you to take full advantage of your scheduled time. This is an ideal opportunity to highlight your research and engage with the conference community.

Technical assistance / additional support: We understand that technical difficulties can occur, and we want to ensure that the session runs smoothly. If you encounter any technical difficulties during the session, please do not attempt to fix them on your own. Notify a student volunteer who will locate technical support staff to assist. We want to minimize any disruptions, so please seek assistance as soon as possible.

Go green with your resources: A reminder that SPA will not be arranging and discourages the use of hardcopy materials. Instead, resources will be accessible through the conference mobile app. 

Follow up with attendees: Offer to exchange contact information, follow up with additional information, and keep in touch with attendees who share similar interests.

Digital poster template

This template is designed to ensure consistency in formatting and layout, optimised for widescreen 16:9 ratio to look its best on screens and projectors.