Visual representation of medical information: the importance of considering the end-user in the design of medical illustrations

Abstract

This practice led research project explored visual representation through illustrations designed to communicate often complex medical information for different users within Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand. Media and tools were manipulated to affect varying degrees of naturalism or abstraction from reality in the creation of illustrations for a variety of real-life clinical projects, and user feedback on illustration preference gathered from both medical professionals and patients. While all users preferred the most realistic representations of medical information from the illustrations presented, patients often favoured illustrations that depicted a greater amount of information than professionals suggested was necessary.

Keywords:

• Medical illustration
• representation
• information design
• human-centred design
• visual health communication

Acknowledgements

Authors thank all the staff at the Auckland University of Technology School of Art and Design, Design for Health and Wellbeing Lab and Auckland City Hospital who contributed their time and expertise to this project. They also thank everyone who participated in research interviews and surveys.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).