k2f-research-poster

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K2F Research Poster — AI-Native Aesthetic Design

Purpose

Convert scientific manuscripts, experiment data, and academic notes into print-ready conference posters. Posters fail when treated as oversized papers; attendees scan from 1.5–2 meters away and spend under 90 seconds. This skill enforces scientific distillation, viewing-distance hierarchy, strict 1-page geometry, and high visual density while eliminating multi-page overflow and blank lower thirds.

Built on K2F

This skill produces conference posters as .K2F packages. Follow the k2f skill for authoring: unpack or init a workspace, edit the semantic JSON tree (content/root.json), customize styles/theme.json, pack/verify, and export. K2F separates semantic structure from styling, compiling an immutable render lock that guarantees pixel-identical output across PDF, PPTX, DOCX, and IDML.

Before you build, install the core skill: npx skills add suzheng/k2f --skill k2f.

When to Use

Creating conference posters from paper drafts, preprints, or notes.
Designing large-format scientific presentations (Arch E 48"×36", 36"×48", ISO A0/A1).
Transforming multi-page manuscripts into a single-page visual synthesis.
Exporting vector PDF, editable PPTX, or IDML.

Inputs

Dimensions: Landscape (48"×36" / ISO A0) or portrait (36"×48" / A0). Default: 48"×36" landscape (3 columns).
Findings: Abstract, methods, key results, and conclusions.
Visuals: Figures, plots, diagrams, and logos.
Metadata: Title, authors, affiliations, paper/repo URL.

Workflow

1. Understand

Distill content into three tiers:

3-Second: Title, logos, takeaway banner.
30-Second: Conclusion-driven section headers, key charts, metric callouts.
3-Minute: Concise methods, data tables, references.

2. Plan

Word Budget: 400–600 words (limit: 300–800). Posters are visual abstracts.
Grid: Pinned header, 3-column body (2–3 for portrait), footer (catalog/content/ex_poster_shell.json).
Visuals: Dedicate >= 40% area to diagrams, plots, cards, or tables.

3. Build

Shell: Paper size in manifest.json. Wrap root in page_shell with pinned height (page_height - margins) and break_inside: "avoid".
Typography (styles/theme.json for 1.5–2 m): Title 72–90 pt (bold), Headers (h1/h2) 36–44 pt, Subheads/Metrics (h3/stat_number) 28–34 pt, Body (body) 22–26 pt (>= 18 pt min), Captions 16–18 pt.
Components: Convert statistics to cards (ex_card_bands.json) or tables (ex_table.json). Use { "fr": 1 } growers to prevent gaps.

4. Validate

Run pack_verify.py --workspace <path> --render.
Single-page check: pages=1. Pages > 1 is a hard defect.
Bottom-fill check: Baselines align above footer without voids (PAGE_UNDERFILL).
Inspect rendered PNGs for legibility and clipping.

5. Revise

When overflowing or unbalanced:

Cut non-essential text before shrinking fonts.
Convert sentences into bullets or metric cards.
Adjust column gap or card padding in theme.json.
Reduce role font sizes globally in theme.json by 1–2 pt.

Rules & Constraints

Strict 1-Page Envelope: Posters are single-canvas presentations; spilling to page 2 disrupts display boards. Pin page_shell height to content box (page_height - margins) to guarantee single-page compilation.
Viewing Distance Physics: Reading distance is 1.5–2 m; body text below 20 pt is unreadable to standing attendees. Prune text rather than shrinking typography.
Conclusion-Driven Headers: Scanning attendees decide whether to stop in seconds. State findings (e.g., "Model Cuts Latency by 42%") instead of generic labels ("Results").
Styles in Theme Only: Define styling in styles/theme.json. Keeping semantic nodes clean allows global adjustments and predictable compilation.
High Contrast: Conference halls have varied lighting; maintain WCAG AAA contrast using calm academic palettes with vibrant accents.

Common Failure Modes

Failure Mode	Root Cause	Solution
Multi-Page Overflow (`pages > 1`)	Unpinned height or excess text.	Pin `page_shell` height; prune text under 700 words.
Empty Lower Canvas (`PAGE_UNDERFILL`)	Short text without growers.	Add `{ "fr": 1 }` growers or enlarge visuals.
Wall of Text	Raw paper text pasted.	Condense to 3–4 bullets per card; use metric callouts.
Tiny Typography	Document fonts (< 18 pt) used.	Scale in `theme.json`: Title >= 72 pt, H1 >= 36 pt, Body >= 22 pt.
Lopsided Columns	Unequal column distribution.	Rebalance sections (Col 1: Problem; Col 2: Methods/Results; Col 3: Impact).

Quality Checklist

[ ] Geometry: Pinned page_shell matching content box; strictly pages=1.
[ ] Word Budget: 300–800 words total across poster.
[ ] Hierarchy: Title readable from 5 m; headers from 2 m; body from 1.5 m.
[ ] Visual Ratio: >= 40% surface area in figures, metrics, or tables.
[ ] Column Balance: Baselines align evenly without voids.
[ ] Export Fidelity: Clean vector PDF and editable PPTX shapes.