Notice Boards

More About Notice Boards

Notice Boards have long been one of the most popular and reliable ways of keeping people informed. Commonly found in offices, schools, staff rooms, meeting rooms and training rooms. Use notice boards to display important information, statistics and targets in an easy yet effective manner.

When used properly and in the correct place, notice boards can be an extremely effective communication tool. However, when used incorrectly, for example, overloading it with information or placing it in the wrong place can have the opposite effect. Here are some useful tips for choosing and using the notice board to benefit your own organisation:

Choosing a Notice Board:

• Size - Notice boards come in many different shapes and sizes which can make choosing the right one a little difficult. The most important thing to consider first is size and whether you require a large, medium or small sized notice board. The largest size 1800 x 1200mm is ideal for large open spaces such as public buildings, schools, colleges, commercial environments etc. For smaller areas such as staff rooms, offices, training or meeting rooms, a notice board measuring 1200 x 900mm or 900 x 600mm might be sufficient.  However, if you want a notice board for an individual work space such as a cubicle or for a small office, then a 600 x 450mm, 500 x 500mm or 350 x 350mm size may be suitable. This depends on the intended area of use and the available free space.

• Material – The surface type is another important characteristic to decide on. The most popular type being felt notice boards. Felt notice boards have a surface which is covered with a fabric that allows paper sheets to be applied by using Velcro dots, Velcro straps and pins. Felt notice boards are available in many different colours to give a good contrast between the hanging information and the board itself making it more visible and easier to read. If you have a particular colour scheme in mind to compliment the rest of the interior or simply want something different from a traditional cork notice board, then felt notice boards will give you more options to choose from. Cork notice boards have a more traditional design with a natural cork surface which is useful for hanging materials using pins. Many cork notice boards have a self-healing surface to eliminate unsightly pin holes so they can be used in professional environments such as offices as well as in homes.

• Type – Environments that require the convenience of a notice board and a drywipe board all in one have the option of choosing a combination notice board. Combination notice boards have the surface split in half between two types of material. These combinations are usually, cork/drywipe and felt/drywipe. Combination notice boards eliminate the need to purchase more than one type of board – saving money and space. Perfect for offices, homes or any area that requires the convenience of not only pinning notices but also hand written messages.

Using the Notice Board:

• Position – The position of the notice board is crucial to its success. Notice boards tend to be more effective when positioned in areas that people linger around such as staff rooms, canteens, waiting areas, reception areas. Placing the notice board in a busy area like a corridor might be the obvious choice but could mean the difference between people rushing past or stopping to read the information displayed while waiting.

• Content – It is easy to get carried away when adding content to notice boards. This can result in a messy, cluttered notice board. A notice board with too much information displayed can make it extremely difficult for anyone to read and will reflect badly on the organisation. The first thing that should be decided is the type of information and the layout in which it will appear. Electing someone to take responsibility for and manage the notice board will ensure notices are updated regularly.