Vaccination Record Redesign Could Help Save Lives in Developing Countries

gravitytank's human-centered design takes top honors in 'Records for Life Contest' sponsored by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

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Mar 25, 2014, 08:00 ET

CHICAGO, March 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In developing countries, widespread vaccination against disease is a major public health problem. According to The Bill & Melinda Gates foundation an estimated 1.5 million children die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases like diarrhea and pneumonia. The challenges facing immunization in the developing world are manifold: expensive ingredients, supply shortages, unreliable logistics, untrained health workers, and ineffective systems for tracking children's vaccination histories.

Pasteur is designed to increase the longevity, accuracy and usefulness of an immunization record. The hanging cover makes it durable while the layout keeps the next vaccination date visible. The child's photo offers easy identification and creates emotional attachment to the object.(PRNewsFoto/gravitytank) (PRNewsFoto/GRAVITYTANK)

Accurate vaccination records maintain children's health histories and identify those who need to be immunized, have missed doses or are off schedule. When the record is unclear, inaccessible or unused, it's harder to reach children with life-saving vaccines. To address this problem, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored The Records for Life Contest which asked designers to rethink vaccination records with the goals of increasing accuracy and ease-of-use for families and health workers alike.

The contest grand prize went to 'Pasteur,' the entry of gravitytank, a Chicago- and San Francisco-based innovation firm. Named after the vaccine pioneer, Pasteur is an integrated system that includes:

Vaccination booklet with an intuitive visual layout for tracking information.
Booklet holder featuring a photo of the child, making it both durable and cherished.
Separate educational cards on health topics like pregnancy, infant care and disease.
Flexible mobile platform for creating digital records of vaccinations.

The judges admired Pasteur's system-oriented approach in which each part works independently, but value increases as elements are combined. "We designed for the very real constraints of healthcare and home life in the developing world," said gravitytank designer Amy Guterman. "We were attentive to details like clear illustrations, sturdy materials, ease of reproduction, and even a low cost instant camera."

Pasteur was created by a multi-disciplinary team from gravitytank's Chicago office. "We approached this challenge like we do every project; by bringing together a group of passionate designers, researchers, and strategists who keep users — in this case, parents and healthcare workers — at the core of our work," said researcher Elena Valentine.

Out of 312 contest submissions, 40 finalists underwent testing with parents and health workers in India, Kenya and Indonesia. As a next step, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will share the top 10 designs with health officials in developing countries.

CONTACT: Martha Cotton, 312-988-3000, [email protected]

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SOURCE gravitytank