A0 or A1 - which is the right size for your project?

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Sometimes bigger is better but not always. Often customers want A0 because they have a lot of information to share, but is this really the best way to engage with your audience?

A0 and A1 are standard sizes based on UK paper stock. Using a standard size is often better value. A0 is 841mm x 1189mm. A1 is half the size at 594mm x 841mm. In general these are produced as landscape panels.

The most common size you will see in the countryside is A1. This size sits well on a lectern. It gives you enough space for a number of photos, key information a call to action, contact details and logos. This size is generally comfortable for people to view. Being realistic the majority of people won't stand reading a panel for more than a minute or so, probably less. At this size, they should be able to easily pick out the information that they need or find an interesting fact or two about the site.

A0 panels work well at entry points or where there may be a number of people looking at the panel at the same time. They can be presented on lecterns but personally I think they look better and are easier to read upright. A0 information panels give you enough space for a good clear map and text in a type that is big enough to be read at a distance.

If you have lots of information to get over to your audience then consider having multiple smaller panels, or perhaps using QR codes to link to deeper online content. But the first step should always be to edit heavily, get rid of repetition, time how long it takes to read and ask for feedback from others.

At The Acorn Workshop we are happy to give advice without any commitment. We can help you with editing text and looking for alternative ways to present information that will actually be read. Contact Ali Beckett on 075309 56184.