U-CHICAGO ONCOLOGY

project - ongoing

Currently, material explaining cancer care and treatment to patients is text-based, dense, and at far too high of a reading level. In Fall 2017, an Institute of Design team, in partnership with Dr. Daniel Golden of University of Chicago Medicine, explored how visual narratives could better educate patients about external radiation beam therapy. The result was an easy to follow, illustration-based discussion guide, which is now distributed to cancer patients at hospitals around Chicago.

In Spring 2019, a new team of ID students have been presented with a similar brief, but this time for gynecological brachytherapy. We have begun work with radiation oncologists specializing in the treatment of cervical and endometrial cancers at the University of Chicago’s Oncology department. Like the team before us, we will conduct primary research of various stakeholders including patients and patient-facing medical and non-medical staff; investigate levels of graphic abstraction that may be appropriate in presenting sensitive information in a narrative format; and develop content for patient education materials.

Our final deliverable will be a visual narrative displaying concepts such as time passage, transitions, simultaneity, and projection, at a NIH recommended reading level below the 7th grade. The document will be used to educate patients about their treatment and to support clear communication between doctor and patient.