THE TOBACCO ATLAS WEBSITE
The Tobacco Atlas has grown to become one of the leading resources on tobacco use and its impact on world health and is now in its sixth edition. The initiative is lead by the the American Cancer Society, whose mission is to free the world from cancer through research, education, and medicine, along with Vital Strategies, an organization that partners with governments to rapidly design and implement public health initiatives.
The Tobacco Atlas has grown to become one of the leading resources on tobacco use and its impact on world health and is now in its sixth edition. The initiative is lead by the the American Cancer Society, whose mission is to free the world from cancer through research, education, and medicine, along with Vital Strategies, an organization that partners with governments to rapidly design and implement public health initiatives.
Challenge
After five editions of consistently high-quality publications, the American Cancer Society and Vital Strategies sought to create a more readable and engaging experience for users perusing the Atlas. With loads of data and no clear hierarchy of where to look or go next, they wanted the Sixth Edition of the Tobacco Atlas to capitalize on interactive opportunities, have a stronger narrative, a unified visual language, and an easy-to-use digital system both for users and administrators.
SOLUTION
One of the main challenges with the previous print report was that it overwhelmed the readers with data and the content flow was cluttered. To fix this, we prioritized the creation of a narrative, using an illustrator to draw custom visuals for every chapter to connect the reader to the content. We also trimmed down the amount of data by prioritizing what needed to be in print and what could live online-only, and then designed clear invitations for the reader to find more on the website. For the interactive version of the Tobacco Atlas, we took these same strong visual and narrative storytelling principles guiding the print design, and leveraged interactive elements and web best practices to create a digital resource. What were static maps in the print report are now dynamic data visualizations, and the illustrative components create a unique experience for the user. Through powerful calls to action (CTAs) and intentional UX design, we worked hard to better anticipate ways to keep the user on the site and engaged. The website is also translated into multiple languages, making it accessible to a broader audience.
After five editions of consistently high-quality publications, the American Cancer Society and Vital Strategies sought to create a more readable and engaging experience for users perusing the Atlas. With loads of data and no clear hierarchy of where to look or go next, they wanted the Sixth Edition of the Tobacco Atlas to capitalize on interactive opportunities, have a stronger narrative, a unified visual language, and an easy-to-use digital system both for users and administrators.
SOLUTION
One of the main challenges with the previous print report was that it overwhelmed the readers with data and the content flow was cluttered. To fix this, we prioritized the creation of a narrative, using an illustrator to draw custom visuals for every chapter to connect the reader to the content. We also trimmed down the amount of data by prioritizing what needed to be in print and what could live online-only, and then designed clear invitations for the reader to find more on the website. For the interactive version of the Tobacco Atlas, we took these same strong visual and narrative storytelling principles guiding the print design, and leveraged interactive elements and web best practices to create a digital resource. What were static maps in the print report are now dynamic data visualizations, and the illustrative components create a unique experience for the user. Through powerful calls to action (CTAs) and intentional UX design, we worked hard to better anticipate ways to keep the user on the site and engaged. The website is also translated into multiple languages, making it accessible to a broader audience.
