Studio G26, The Drill Hall, 32 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh, EH6 8RG. Scotland. Tel.(+44 )0131 5523524
Pictogram and digital design
for Healthcare system
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Background
The Department of Strategic Clinical Change and Development at NHS Fife had developed an innovative series of electronic clinical pathways which visualise patient movement within the hospital environment. It was hoped that this work would enable members of staff to review clinical practise and as a result maximise efficiency by reducing unnecessary processes.
Having won the contract in a tender bid, Designers on the Run were commissioned to undertake the design of a pictogram series for the strategic team and NHS staff to use.
Designers on the Run were also comissioned for the design of the accompanying portal and further supporting creative assets including a user manual and help files.
Design challenge
The current system employed the use of clip art which was viewed as inappropriate, arbitrary and inconsistent with representing and upholding the NHS Scotland brand.
It was the requirement of the client to have a more manageable number of pictograms to replace the use of clip art. The pictograms would have to be able to represent a wide range of situations from patient self care, GP surgeries and primary care settings to A+E, hospital clinics and theatres.
Design solution
There was a comprehensive amount of research undertaken which included looking into NHS Scotland branding guidelines, investigating precedent studies into pictogram and wayfinding design use in exisiting health care systems and other public spaces. Designers on the Run also carried out a paper and digital user survey to be distributed amongst NHS fife professional staff - the target user for the new design system.
With the results from the research in place Designers on the Run could begin to build on this and create a corresponding design solution.
Pictogram design
The pictogram designs had to demonstrate clarity, unambiguity, be politically correct, have a strong visual impact and also be accessible for people with disabilities.
Due to the sheer number of pictograms involved and for ease and consistency of design there needed to be a modular system set in place for the design to follow. It was decided early on that the care symbol included in the NHS branding would form the blueprint for the design of the pictograms thus creating a design that was unique and a solution where the branding was inherent to the design.
The colour scheme was also adapted from the branding guidelines and consideration was taken into account for users with visual impairments.
Clinical Pathways and Online Portal
Designers on the Run were also asked to make the electronic clinical pathways more manageable and easily applicable; this was to incorporate the design of the interface including navigational elements for an online portal which would ultimately display the information.
The resultant design has made the interface less cluttered, there is ease of navigation and the design has been kept consistent with the overall branding. Navigational icons were also designed for the clinical pathways wherby the user could also gain more information from the pathway if they so wished.
Design results
The client now has a professional system in place that is in keeping with the NHS brand and has usability issues at the core with a unique series of pictograms in place that can be added to and used to communicate clinical processes in an effective and clear manner.
In the long term it is also intended that this work will also enhance patient information/education in a variety of formats e.g. signage and information leaflets.
Client Testimonial
Coming soon!
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