Accessible design and patient information
Recently we have been working on a brief to improve the provision of information to people with massive mobility and dexterity challenges. We needed to communicate the product, how to use it in a way that is really useful, and most importantly why the choice has been made for them to be on this therapy.
Our initial discussions revealed that beyond who they might be and what they have been diagnosed with, little solid research in terms of their feelings or how they live with the disease was known. As a consequence we needed to get to grips with the patients, not only in terms of information requirements but also their idiosyncrasies and physical disabilities.
We wanted to use an approach that we have come to know as ‘Accessible Design’. This approach is huge with car designers in Japan, who need to feel how the rapidly aging population of Japan experience their cars. As young, progressive designers, they don’t have a problem getting into a car, adjusting seats, twiddling knobs – but the end user might. To combat this mismatch between audience and output Nissan invented the old-suit, an outfit which simulates the effects of aging. Strap it on and you’ll immediately feel stiffer, heavier, less able to balance, and the included goggles will make it harder to see. And its works – their design teams know, empathise and design better for an audience they do not relate to physically.
It’s obvious how this relates to the work we do. Patient materials are too often overlooked as bits of collateral that ticks the patient communication box but mean little to the actual user. While we create more relevant content for our audiences, really getting to grips with the problems they face and the questions they have, it’s essential to package this content appropriately. While product manufacturers make sure their goods are easily accessed, we must produce healthcare information in such a way as to be easily consumed.
Our conversations with patients and professionals unearthed difficulties we’d never have dreamed of (door knobs, envelopes, ring pulls, Velcro, shiny surfaces, stockings etc). Following an accessible design approach proved hilarious and humbling. With no Nissan suit budget in place, we had to get creative and find ways of ‘restricting ourselves’ based on the patient insights we had. Enter ski gloves, mittens, industrial strength elastic bands, bags on hands and training weights on arms. We played, we learned, we were astounded. The result is a range of materials that have been thoroughly tested as ‘end usable’. Alongside a better understanding of what they need and want to know we have solved the problems of this audience in a more relevant way, for a brand that can only benefit from this approach.
This project has been a real learning curve for us. We have looked at real end user requirements, translated this into design and content objectives, and injected these into our tactical material briefs. We have also gained useful insight into what it’s like to live a tiny period of time with a disability that impacts so much.
As far as we are aware this is the first time an accessible design approach has been used by a communications agency and that makes us totally happy. It’s an approach that is now an intrinsic part of our materials generation process.
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Richard said (May 5th, 2008 at 2:05pm)
Tim,
Its an interesting observation that is often not fully embraced in the rush to market with ideas nor by a communications agency as an approach to boot…
Knowing really who your target consumer is the first step. Then working with consumer-centred design can lead to surprising results. Its already adopted as you cite in many categories today; extensive work was completed in launching Actonel Plus Calcium to aid the consumer in building a regimen as well as correct dosing via intuitive design of the blister pack ….. OXO are in the market place with \’good grips\’ a line of products that start from the consumer lens of arthritic consumers that find it difficult to hold/use utensils, and the desirable result it can have for the remainder of the population with comfortable utensils that you don\’t want to let go of!
Designing with the consumer at the heart of the proposition can lead to remarkable insights. Matching that with creating early prototypes to test is then key in harnessing - is the project on track at all stages of development. The next challenge is interpreting the consumers feedback as \’feedback\’ as opposed to what to do…