Seminar Schedule Sign

Schedule Table & Sign Design

Artist, Illustrator, Designer: John Potter - Escape Key Graphics

The Challenge

This was a sign I designed for the 2015 Palm Beach International Boat Show. It is a seminar schedule. That sounds simple enough. But when you are handed the raw, unformatted information, it feels pretty daunting. Dozens of sessions, multiple days, different times, locations, speakers, topics. All of it has to become something a person can scan quickly and actually use.

The Design Approach

This project was an exercise in organization and neatness. The goal was a minimalist look that did not overwhelm viewers while still giving them all the information they needed. I wanted someone to be able to walk up to this sign and find what they were looking for in seconds, not minutes.

I formatted the information so you could run your metaphorical finger from left to right across the days, starting with the first day of the show. Then you move down to find the time you are interested in, starting early and progressing through the day as you go down the column. It is intuitive without needing instructions.

An inset map at the top lets you locate where each seminar is happening. The keyed positions from the primary show map are also noted, so you can cross reference if you have the main map in hand. The header with logo was supplied and kind of dictated the color scheme for the whole thing.

Why This Was Hard

I did these signs every year for a while, and looking back, they were probably the most challenging work I have done in Adobe InDesign. The page layout I do now for full show programs feels simple compared to this. There were lots of tabs, cells, and cross references to manage. Everything had to line up perfectly.

But the result was worth it. A clean, usable sign that helped thousands of attendees find the seminars they came for.

Your Project

If you need a schedule, a sign, or any other information design that has to be clear and usable under real world conditions, contact me. I have done this work before and I would be glad to do it for you.