Have someone from your target audience evaluate your poster.
Create a draft of your poster several weeks before it is due, and send the PowerPoint file to your research mentor, colleagues, and friends and ask for them to send you their comments. Include the checklist (below) to provide your reviewers with a convenient guideline. You can print a miniature version of your poster on letter-sized paper to get a better visual impression of the overall layout, balance of graphics and text, and alignment of elements within your poster. You probably won't be able to read the text or fine details on the letter-sized version, so be patient and proofread your text carefully in PowerPoint.
An excellent checklist of elements to include can be downloaded from the University of Guelph
Here are some things to consider about your audience when putting together your poster:
Here are some things to consider about messaging when designing your poster:
Here are some things to consider about aesthetic choices when putting together your poster: