It is claimed that a poster has about three seconds to catch the attention of a passer-by. The success of that poster teeters on those few seconds. If it fails to attract attention, then it is ineffective. However, if it catches the interest of its viewer, then half of the battle is won. Having caught attention, the poster must next deliver a swift, effective, convincing message, which then leads the viewer to a desired thought or action. Quite an ambitious to-do list for one poster, right? Quickly arrest the attention of the viewer, deliver a swift clear message, effectively accomplish a goal, convince and persuade the audience, and move them to action: how does someone design a poster that fosters all of these functions? There are many answers to this question. In fact, there are infinite ways to solve the challenge. The truth is, it is up to you as the designer to solve it, and that is where the application of design theory comes in. Design theory explains how to communicate visually. It is broken down into four different components of design: the design process, human-centered senses, design elements, and design principles. The use of these components is key to successful design.