It’s important that patients understand the different approaches to treating cancers. We learned that using analogies could be a powerful tool in communicating the differences between approaches.
Our Challenge
We wanted to help patients understand different approaches to treating cancer. However, the science behind these therapies is complex. We used the UPL to explain the differences in these treatment approaches in a way that would be easy for most patients to understand.
We heard from patients and listened to the questions they were looking to answer.
See traditional and UPL designs
Collaborating
to Apply UPL
We held a co-creation session with nurses and pharmacists who are involved in educating patients at their clinics. We worked with them to sketch out many possible ways to explain different approaches to treating cancer. The participants told us that they often use analogies and metaphors to explain complex concepts to patients. So, together, we developed a series of different analogies that explained different aspects of various cancer treatments. Afterwards, we shared these analogies with oncology patients, who gave us feedback and helped us refine them further.
Our Output
A garden analogy for explaining different approaches to treating cancer was incorporated into a patient guide and a video (coming soon), along with other patient-friendly elements. Patients told us the result was friendly and calming, and explained the concepts without talking down to them.