Project: Maternal Health Implementation Planning Toolkit
Client / Owner: Unity Health Toronto / Knowledge Translation (KT) Program
Deliverables: Custom Vector Illustration System, Dashboard UI Graphics, Strategy Icons, Print Workbook Assets
Target Audience: Healthcare Workers (Clinicians, Midwives), Health System Administrators, Policymakers, and Community Members
1. Executive Summary
The Maternal Health Implementation Planning Toolkit is an interactive framework designed to help global health teams identify barriers and facilitators in maternal healthcare delivery.
To turn complex implementation science into an approachable and empowering tool, a cohesive illustration system was developed. These visual assets bridge abstract health system theories with relatable human care, guiding multi-disciplinary teams through critical planning assessments. Images were presented to stakeholders, and feedback was implemented to ensure that iconography was globally recognized.
2. The Challenge
Implementing new maternal health guidelines requires assessing obstacles across three distinct levels: Patient/Community, Healthcare Provider, and Health Systems.
Primary Visual Objectives:
- Demystify Complex Science: Make dense theoretical concepts (e.g., audit & feedback, task-shifting, CFIR-ERIC strategy mapping) instantly intuitive.
- Global & Inclusive Representation: Support international settings—ranging from rural community clinics to urban tertiary hospitals—with inclusive, culturally sensitive visual representations.
- Multi-Format Adaptability: Ensure artwork scales seamlessly across digital web interfaces (desktop & mobile) and printable offline PDF workbooks (English and Spanish editions).
3. Visual System & Level Breakdown
To help users navigate the tool, each core level was assigned a clear visual identity and storytelling focus.
| Level | Visual Theme | Represented Concepts |
| 1. Patient / Community | Approachability & Trust | Community dialogues, patient education, family/male involvement, local leadership support. |
| 2. Healthcare Provider | Skill & Collaboration | Midwife and clinician training, mentorship, simulation modeling, digital decision aids. |
| 3. Health Systems | Structure & Resources | Supply chains, facility infrastructure, emergency funds, policy development. |
4. Design Process & Visual Strategy
Style & Color Palette
- Vector Art Style: Clean geometry, clear outlines, and expressive character poses to ensure high legibility on lower-resolution screens or low-bandwidth mobile environments.
- Warm & Clinical Palette: Balanced clinical blues and greens with warm skin tones and vibrant accent colors to combine professional authority with human empathy.
Illustrating Key Strategies & Concepts
The toolkit includes visual representations of actionable health strategies designed to keep users engaged during dense group discussions.
- Example Concept 1: Provider Mentorship & Training
Visual Focus: Experienced health workers guiding colleagues in a supportive, collaborative environment. - Example Concept 2: Community Engagement & Plays
Visual Focus: Interactive community gatherings and shared decision-making scenes emphasizing non-clinical education.
5. UI Integration & Digital Experience
The vector assets were integrated directly into the digital web tool interface to serve as navigation anchors, reducing text-heavy visual fatigue during long planning sessions.
6. Impact & Key Takeaways
- Increased Accessibility: Visual cues allow diverse workshop participants—regardless of language or background—to collaborate effectively during group assessment sessions.
- Cohesive System: Delivered an adaptable library of assets that unified the web application, downloadable PDFs, and supporting educational audio components.
- Human-Centered Health Science: Demonstrated how intentional design can transform rigid clinical guidelines into an engaging, empathetic digital experience.