There is a special kind of satisfaction that comes from finally finishing a bulletin board. After hours of cutting letters, arranging graphics, fixing crooked borders, and wondering why you decided to use individually cut-out letters in the first place, you finally step back and think: Done.
But before we call it finished, there is one more question worth asking: Does the board actually communicate what you want it to communicate?
Bulletin boards can be colorful, creative, funny, and incredibly detailed. They can feature elaborate themes, clever titles, graphics, QR codes, and information about campus resources. But a bulletin board can check every box on a student staff member’s to-do list and still miss the person it was created for: the resident walking past it.
Creating a bulletin board is not just an opportunity to decorate an empty wall. It is an opportunity to communicate with residents in a space they pass every day. That means the goal should not simply be to make something that looks good. The goal should be to create something that does something. Maybe it teaches a resident something new, encourages them to think about an important topic, connects them to a resource, or starts a conversation. Whatever the purpose, the board should have one.
Start With the Message, Not the Theme
One of the easiest ways for a bulletin board to lose its purpose is to choose the theme before deciding what you actually want residents to learn. It is easy to start with a favorite holiday, movie, television show, meme, or aesthetic and then try to fit information into it afterward. Sometimes that works, but other times the theme becomes more noticeable than the message.
Instead, start by asking yourself: What should my resident know, think about, or do after looking at this board? Once you know the answer, you can choose a theme that helps communicate that message.
For example, if the goal is to encourage residents to develop healthy study habits, the theme could revolve around something familiar to college students, such as a “study survival guide.” The visual theme could make the board more approachable, but the information should still clearly communicate practical strategies residents can use.
The theme should support the message rather than become the entire message.
A good theme should make information easier to understand or remember. It should not require residents to figure out how the theme connects to the information. If you have to explain the connection before someone understands the board, the theme may be doing more work than the message.
More Is Not Always More
Sometimes we assume that an empty space on a bulletin board means something is missing. So we add another graphic. Then another quote. Then another paragraph. Then another decorative element. Eventually, the board is completely covered but the actual message has disappeared.
A bulletin board does not have to use every square inch of available space to be successful. In fact, some empty space can help the important information stand out. Think about where you want the resident’s eyes to go first, second, and third.
For example, if you’re creating a board about preparing for midterms, the resident should immediately be able to identify that topic. From there, they might see a few simple strategies for preparing, followed by information about where they can go for additional support. The board doesn’t need to include every possible study strategy, campus resource, and piece of advice you have ever heard.
Give residents the information they need, not everything that you know about the topic.
QR Codes Are a Tool, Not the Content
QR codes can be incredibly useful on bulletin boards. They can connect residents to campus organizations, event registration, appointment systems, additional resources, and other information without requiring you to cover the board in paragraphs of text.
However, a QR code should be the next step, not the entire message.
Do not make your resident scan a QR code just to figure out what the QR code is for. Instead, give them enough information to understand why they might want to scan it.
For example, if you are creating a board about getting involved on campus, you might briefly explain what students can find through the linked resource before providing the QR code. A resident should know what they are scanning and why it might be useful to them.
The board should still communicate something even if the resident never scans the code.
A Bulletin Board Does Not Have to Do Everything
A bulletin board also does not have to be the only way you communicate with residents. A board might introduce a topic, while a QR code provides additional information. It could provide a few quick tips while directing residents somewhere else for more detailed information. It could also serve as a reminder that residents can return to throughout the semester.
Think about what a bulletin board does well and use it for that purpose. A bulletin board should not become a website printed onto construction paper. If residents need to read several paragraphs and navigate multiple links just to understand the basic message, there may be a better way to communicate it.
The board can be the starting point, the reminder, the resource, or the conversation starter. It is not necessarily the entire communication strategy.
Yes, You Need to Proofread It
You have spent hours designing your bulletin board, carefully cut every letter, checked the spacing, and made sure the border is straight.
Now, check the spelling.
Then have someone else check it.
Spelling and grammar mistakes are easy to miss when you have created something yourself. After looking at the same words over and over, your brain starts seeing what you intended to write rather than what is actually on the page. A second set of eyes can catch the mistake you have looked at twenty times without noticing.
Before your board goes on the wall, check the title, spelling, grammar, dates, times, locations, campus department names, URLs, and QR codes. If you are providing instructions, make sure they are accurate and easy to understand. A bulletin board is a communication tool, and accuracy is part of good communication.
Try the Five-Second Test
Now imagine a resident walking past your bulletin board on their way to class. They are not stopping because they know how much time you spent making it. They are not analyzing the design. They may only look at it for a few seconds before continuing down the hallway.
So, what do they see?
Try giving your bulletin board the five-second test. Look at it for five seconds and then look away. Can you explain what the board was about? Could you identify the main message? Did you know what the board wanted you to do with the information?
If you can not answer those questions, your resident probably won’t be able to either.
This does not mean every bulletin board needs to contain only a few words or that residents should understand every detail immediately. It means the most important information should be easy to identify. A resident should be able to understand the general purpose of the board before deciding whether they want to stop and learn more.
Ask Someone Who Did Not Make The Board
One of the easiest ways to test a bulletin board is to show it to someone who had nothing to do with creating it.
Do not explain the theme, or tell them what you were trying to accomplish. Just ask, “What do you think this board is telling you?” Their response can tell you a lot. If they immediately identify the message you intended, great. If they focus on something completely different, that is useful information, too. You already know what you intended the board to communicate. The goal is to make sure that message comes across just as clearly to someone seeing it for the first time.
Sometimes the best person to review a bulletin board is not another person who loves bulletin boards. It is someone who can look at it with fresh eyes and tell you what they actually notice.
Before You Put It on the Wall
Before you hang your next bulletin board, take one final step back. Ask yourself: What is this board actually saying? Does it have a clear purpose? Can a resident understand the main message quickly? Does the theme support the information? Is the most important information easy to find? Are the resources useful? Is everything spelled correctly and accurately? Most importantly, would you stop and look at this board if you weren’t the person who made it?
Creating a bulletin board should not be about making the board that took the longest to create. It should not be about filling every inch of space or using the most elaborate theme.
The goal is to create something a resident can walk past, understand, and use. So before you put that final letter on the wall, take a step back, look at your work with fresh eyes, and ask yourself: “What is my bulletin board actually saying?”
