Concept Poster

Purpose

The Concept Poster forces teams to distil a complex idea into a single, visually compelling page. Like an advertisement for the concept, it must communicate the what, why, and for whom in seconds. The exercise reveals whether the team truly understands their own idea and can articulate its value clearly.

At a glance

• Group size: 2–6 per poster
• Duration: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: Low to moderate
• Facilitation style: Guided creative exercise
• Setting: Table with large paper (A2 or flip chart) and art supplies

How to run

1. Define the concept (5 min): Agree on the concept to visualise. State its core value proposition in one sentence.
2. Choose the format (2 min): Decide on a poster archetype: movie poster, product advertisement, newspaper front page, or event flyer.
3. Create the poster (18 min): Include: a compelling headline, a visual (sketch or diagram), three key benefits, and the target user. Every element should answer: "Why should someone care?"
4. Gallery walk and feedback (5 min): Post all posters on the wall. Team members walk around, read each, and leave sticky-note feedback.

Materials needed

• Large paper (A2, A1, or flip chart sheets)
• Markers, coloured pens, pencils
• Sticky notes for feedback
• Optional: magazines for collage elements

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Feature dump: Listing every feature instead of communicating the core value.
• All text, no visual: A poster should be visual-first. If there’s no sketch, it’s a document.
• Too much jargon: If a stranger can’t understand it, the concept isn’t clear yet.
• Skipping the feedback walk: The poster’s value is partly in the reaction it provokes.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Provide templates for participants uncomfortable with freeform drawing.
• Allow digital poster creation (Canva, Figma) as an alternative.
• Read posters aloud during the gallery walk for visually impaired participants.

Variations

• Concept video: Record a 60-second "commercial" instead of a poster.
• Concept tweet: Distil the concept into a 280-character tweet as an even tighter constraint.
• Stakeholder pitch poster: Design the poster specifically for a target stakeholder audience.

When NOT to use this

• When the concept is too early to articulate clearly — do more prototyping first.
• When the team needs to explore, not communicate — this is a convergence activity.
• When a formal business case or slide deck is required — the poster is a precursor, not a replacement.

Source & further reading

• d.school, Stanford University — concept communication exercises
• Lewrick, Link & Leifer — *The Design Thinking Playbook* (Wiley, 2018)
• Roam, Dan — *The Back of the Napkin* (Portfolio, 2008)