Presentation at the 2nd Central Visayas Consortium for Health Research and Development (CVHRD) Health Research and Innovation Conference. 21 June 2017. Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City.

1. VISUAL
STORYTELLING:
Best Practices in
Translating
Health Research
Iris Thiele Isip Tan, MD, MSc
@endocrine_witch
Director, UP Manila Interactive Learning Center
Chief, UP Medical Informatics Unit
Professor, UP College of Medicine

2. WWW.FB.COM/ENDOCRINEWITCH

4. VISUAL
NARRATIVE
TO DISSEMINATE
RESEARCH
TO POPULARIZE
RESEARCH

5. Art does not
reproduce the
visible; rather,
it makes visible.
“
Red Balloon by Paul Klee
www.PaulKlee.net
Paul Klee, Creative Confession

6. DR. JOHN SNOW
MAP OF CHOLERA CASES IN 1850’S LONDON

7. VISUAL DATA STORY
Includes a set of story pieces
(specific facts backed up by data)
Bongshin Lee, Nathalie Henry Riche, Petra Isenberg, Sheelagh Carpendale, "More Than Telling a Story: Transforming Data into Visually
Shared Stories", IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, vol. 35, no. , pp. 84-90, Sept.-Oct. 2015, doi:10.1109/MCG.2015.99

8. VISUAL DATA STORY
Story pieces are visualized
to support one or more intended messages
Bongshin Lee, Nathalie Henry Riche, Petra Isenberg, Sheelagh Carpendale, "More Than Telling a Story: Transforming Data into Visually
Shared Stories", IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, vol. 35, no. , pp. 84-90, Sept.-Oct. 2015, doi:10.1109/MCG.2015.99

9. VISUAL DATA STORY
Story pieces are in meaningful order
or with connection between them to support goal
Bongshin Lee, Nathalie Henry Riche, Petra Isenberg, Sheelagh Carpendale, "More Than Telling a Story: Transforming Data into Visually
Shared Stories", IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, vol. 35, no. , pp. 84-90, Sept.-Oct. 2015, doi:10.1109/MCG.2015.99

10. INFOGRAPHIC = INFORMATION GRAPHIC
http://infographiclist.com/tag/diabetes/
Figurative
graphics
Nonfigurative
graphics
Written text

11. VISUAL DATA STORYTELLING
Transforming data into visually shared stories
Bongshin Lee, Nathalie Henry Riche, Petra Isenberg, Sheelagh Carpendale, "More Than Telling a Story: Transforming Data into Visually
Shared Stories", IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, vol. 35, no. , pp. 84-90, Sept.-Oct. 2015, doi:10.1109/MCG.2015.99

12. Stories package information into a
structure that is easily remembered.“ R Kosara, J Mackinlay. Computer 46 (5), 44-50

14. Picture credit: http://www.wadeharman.com/the-attention-economy-why-trigger-response-is-vital-marketing/
The ATTENTION ECONOMY is not growing,
which means we have to grab the attention
that someone else has today.
- Brent Leary, CRM Essentials Co-founder

15. GENRES OF NARRATIVE VISUALIZATION
Choosing what’s appropriate will depend on complexity
of data/story and the intended audience & medium
Heer, J., & Segel, E. (2010). Narrative Visualization: Telling Stories with Data. IEEE
Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 16, 1139-1148.

16. VISUAL
NARRATIVE
TO DISSEMINATE
RESEARCH
TO POPULARIZE
RESEARCH

17. INFOGRAPHIC VS CRITICAL APPRAISAL FORMAT
Preference for summarizing results from systematic reviews
Crick K, Hartling L (2015) Preferences of Knowledge Users for Two Formats of Summarizing Results from Systematic Reviews:
Infographics and Critical Appraisals. PLoS ONE 10(10): e0140029. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0140029

18. INFOGRAPHIC VS CRITICAL APPRAISAL FORMAT
Preference for summarizing results from systematic reviews
Crick K, Hartling L (2015) Preferences of Knowledge Users for Two Formats of Summarizing Results from Systematic Reviews:
Infographics and Critical Appraisals. PLoS ONE 10(10): e0140029. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0140029
51% preferred infographic
n = 59
67% (8/12) nurses
68% (15/22) physicians
Rated higher for clarity
Rated higher for aesthetic appeal
No difference between formats
for comprehensibility
Most useful for patients/caregivers
Most useful for professional roles

19. http://www.surgeryredesign.com/resources/
#VISUALABSTRACT
@andrewmibrahim
Visual summary of the information contained within an abstract

20. http://www.surgeryredesign.com/resources/
DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR THE VISUAL ABSTRACT
Focus on the
user experience
Clarity of
purpose
Rapid
prototyping
Iterative
improvement
Thoughtful
restraint
Relevant
creativity

22. VISUAL
NARRATIVE
TO DISSEMINATE
RESEARCH
TO POPULARIZE
RESEARCH

23. TO INVESTIGATE STORYTELLING
as a tool to engage parents in communicating
research and health information
Hartling et al. Storytelling as a communication tool for health consumers: development of an intervention for
parents of children with croup. Stories to communicate health information. BMC Pediatrics 2010 10:64.

24. Creative writer
interviewed parents.
Drafted stories
Stories edited to
incorporate
research evidence
Illustrator & graphic
designer developed
story booklets
Explore data Make a story Tell a story
Hartling et al. Storytelling as a communication tool for health consumers: development of an intervention for
parents of children with croup. Stories to communicate health information. BMC Pediatrics 2010 10:64.
CREATING THE STORY
for parents of children with croup

25. PARTICIPANT
FEEDBACK
Hartling et al. Storytelling as a communication tool for health consumers: development of an intervention for
parents of children with croup. Stories to communicate health information. BMC Pediatrics 2010 10:64.
Identify with stories
Easier to get
information compared
to a standard medical
information sheet

26. CHALLENGES
Hartling et al. Storytelling as a communication tool for health consumers: development of an intervention for
parents of children with croup. Stories to communicate health information. BMC Pediatrics 2010 10:64.
Staying true to story vs being
evidence-based
Use of internet by
consumers as a source of
health information
Balancing need to be
comprehensive while being
succinct
Story length, reading level,
graphics, layout etc.

27. What role did
information
visualization play in
the popularization of
the technical-
biomedical aspects of
the Ebola epidemic?
Miguel Alcíbar. Information visualisation as a resource
for popularising the technical-biomedical aspects of the
last Ebola virus epidemic: The case of the Spanish
reference press. Public Understanding of Science
2017:1-17

28. What technical-biomedical-related content associated
with Ebola is visually represented?
Miguel Alcíbar. Information visualisation as a resource for popularising the technical-biomedical aspects of the
last Ebola virus epidemic: The case of the Spanish reference press. Public Understanding of Science 2017:1-17
%
0 25 50 75 100
Epidemiological data56%
Prevention and control measures16.3%
12.4% Injurious effects
Therapies and treatments
Causes of infection
Viral life cycle
Viral load in body fluids
Molecular structure of the virus

29. Information on
ongoing Ebola epidemic
77.8%
Miguel Alcíbar. Information visualisation as a resource for popularising the technical-biomedical aspects of the
last Ebola virus epidemic: The case of the Spanish reference press. Public Understanding of Science 2017:1-17
SCENARIOS CREATED BY WRITTEN PRESS
to contextualize epidemiological information
Compare current
with previous Ebola
outbreaks
18.8%
Compare Ebola
outbreak with
different previous
viral epidemics
3.4%

30. Miguel Alcíbar. Information visualisation as a resource for popularising the technical-biomedical aspects of the
last Ebola virus epidemic: The case of the Spanish reference press. Public Understanding of Science 2017:1-17
Two newspapers paid less attention to information
on control & prevention measures.

31. Miguel Alcíbar. Information visualisation as a resource for popularising the technical-biomedical aspects of the
last Ebola virus epidemic: The case of the Spanish reference press. Public Understanding of Science 2017:1-17
SOURCES CITED BY JOURNALISTS
for their visual representations
Most frequently cited
71.8%
49.2% as sole source
79.4% with other sources

32. — Miguel Alcibar
… explore how visual representations
affect public awareness and
understanding of science.
Empirical studies of science literacy
have neglected, to a great extent,
the visual aspect of the public
communication of science.
”
“
Miguel Alcíbar. Information visualisation as a resource for popularising the technical-biomedical aspects of the
last Ebola virus epidemic: The case of the Spanish reference press. Public Understanding of Science 2017:1-17

33. Iterative participatory design
of infographics for engagement
of community members with varying
levels of health literacy
Arcia A, et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2016;23:174–183. doi:10.1093/jamia/ocv079, Research and Applications
Preferred language
(English, Spanish)
Age group
(18–30, 31–60, >60 years)
Level of health literacy
(adequate, marginal,
inadequate).

34. Arcia A, et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2016;23:174–183. doi:10.1093/jamia/ocv079, Research and Applications
RIGID LITERAL INTERPRETATIONS
Monotony in eating only fruits in icons
A whole pineapple?!

35. Arcia A, et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2016;23:174–183. doi:10.1093/jamia/ocv079, Research and Applications
ICONS (to represent a general
class of things) reduced
comprehension
Running or jogging ONLY
instead of exercise in general
Stars nearly universally
understood to represent
abstract gradations

36. FAMILIAR ANALOGY
Simpler and more universally understood
Not favored because information-poor
Arcia A, et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2016;23:174–183. doi:10.1093/jamia/ocv079, Research and Applications

37. Arcia A, et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2016;23:174–183. doi:10.1093/jamia/ocv079, Research and Applications
FAMILIAR ANALOGY
Picture of BP measurement & figure illustrating
risks provide context for the viewer

38. Arcia A, et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2016;23:174–183. doi:10.1093/jamia/ocv079, Research and Applications
SYMBOLIC & COLOR ANALOGIES
Stoplight color meanings where universally understood

39. Arcia A, et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2016;23:174–183. doi:10.1093/jamia/ocv079, Research and Applications
ITERATIVE PARTICIPATORY DESIGN
Identify imagery: meaningful, culturally relevant and actionable
Visualizations based on
assumptions
May lead to wasted effort
Or be unintentionally
misleading

40. WHICH DESIGN COMPONENTS
of nutrition infographics make them
memorable and compelling?
Wansink B & Robbins R. Am J Health Behav. 2016;40(6):779-787
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.40.6.10
Healthy eating behavior for young
adults
Focus group discussions
Randomly assigned to ACTIVE vs
PASSIVE processing of infographics

41. Wansink B & Robbins R. Am J Health Behav. 2016;40(6):779-787
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.40.6.10
WHAT MAKES AN INFOGRAPHIC MEMORABLE?
An action-oriented title
Not humor or bright colors

42. @endocrine_witch