Sex, Design & Reproductive Health
Graduate Thesis on Communication Design
I partnered with a government-sponsored clinic in San Bernardino, CA to research, experiment, and deliver affordable and easy to implement design solutions to help mothers plan ahead for their next healthy pregnancy.
These educational solutions are currently being implemented at this women’s health clinic.
Process >
How we got to this solution
Thesis Book >
The 10-month project documented into a book
Key Insight 1
Many women report birth control failure, not because of inherent problems with the method they used, but because it was simply not something that fit their lifestyle.
Unlike popular birth control guides that are based on statistical failure rates, the quiz above gives priority to one’s ideal lifestyle and takes the stand that birth control should fit your sex life, not the other way around.
Completing this quiz lands a patient on a suggested birth control option that is further explained in an adjacent poster, the Tell Me More poster.
The most important factor in the success of any birth control is how well it fits a woman's lifestyle.
This poster describes birth control choices and when they can be implemented.
The team decided to include all methods of contraception to remind people of their options.
The QR code provides quick access to videos of women and men sharing personal experiences about their birth control choices.
Key Insight 2
Since the clinic does not have a dedicated budget for marketing, they need inexpensive and easy to implement solutions without upkeep costs.
I took advantage of the patient’s wait time before seeing their doctor to initiate consideration of family planning.
In the 15 minutes before the doctor walks in, a nurse encourages the patient to take the quiz and think about her sex life preferences.
The patient and doctor can then discuss the quiz results to make reproductive health decisions together.
Key Insight 3
Most information on family planning depicts birth control options as complicated and scary.
The aesthetic and language each use fun and approachable tones to engage viewers between the ages of 18–44. It communicates seamlessly to visual learners and is a departure from the typical display of birth control failure rates.
My solutions differ from others by targeting a specific population in a specific location.
Key Insight 4
“If it happens, it happens” was expressed many times during my interview conversations.
It seemed that women thought pregnancy was out of their control. This statement was almost always accompanied by regret.