Illumina – CLIA

Illumina is a leading biotechnology enterprise that specializes in designing, producing, and promoting advanced integrated systems for the comprehensive analysis of genetic variation and biological function. Their extensive range of products and services cater to diverse markets including sequencing, genotyping, gene expression, and proteomics, among others.

Introduction

To ensure clarity and transparency for patients, Illumina has implemented a meticulously executed CLIA Lab Use – Clinician Workflow program. This initiative aims to provide patients with a straightforward and easily understandable explanation of the process, guiding them through each step with clarity and simplicity.

Problem

The current process for CLIA Lab Use and Clinician Workflow involves multiple steps across different roles, including clinicians, nurses/phlebotomists, lab directors, and lab operators. While each role has a distinct set of tasks, these steps are deeply interconnected and require seamless coordination. However, the process as currently documented is lengthy and difficult to interpret, making it challenging to visualize the relationships between steps and understand the workflow as a whole. This lack of clarity can hinder efficient communication, training, and process optimization.

Audience

When providing healthcare information to patients and professionals, we consider these key points:

  • Mature Audience: Tailor the information to adults, ensuring it is appropriate and relevant for a mature audience.
  • Clarity: Simplify complex healthcare concepts to make them clear and easy to understand, especially for those unfamiliar with the system.
  • Empathy: Acknowledge the audience’s potential anxiety or vulnerability by presenting information in a calm, reassuring tone.
  • Sensitivity: Show care and support by addressing emotional needs and delivering information with sensitivity and compassion.

Approach

Let’s begin with the first draft.

While it lays the groundwork, there are several issues to address:

  • It contains too much text, making it overwhelming to read.
  • Certain roles, like the Lab Director, appear in multiple places, creating confusion.
  • The overall design feels unbalanced and lacks visual appeal.

This method highlights specific stages of interest while keeping the entire patient journey cohesive and accessible. It ensures patients can follow the process clearly and stay engaged.

Ultimately, this approach makes healthcare information more patient-friendly, prioritizing clarity and understanding while meeting the audience’s needs effectively.

Style and Colors

To help reduce patients’ anxiety and confusion, the design uses soft, muted Illumina brand colors that feel calm and welcoming. Simplified, light-hearted illustrations and icons make the information easy to understand without being overwhelming.

The goal is to find the right balance—keeping the design approachable without it feeling too simple or childish. Patient focus groups will provide feedback to ensure the images connect with the audience and adjustments can be made as needed.

This approach prioritizes patients’ comfort, making healthcare information clearer, more accessible, and less stressful.

Rendering

I began by adding text labels for each step in the printed version to provide extra context. For the online version, I removed the text labels and used pop-ups instead, making the design cleaner and more interactive.

During development, the infographic was revised to better reflect the patient’s perspective of the process. This allowed me to reorganize the layout into a more geometric design, improving its visual clarity and making it more adaptable to different formats.

Result

The final version of the infographic effectively displays the patient’s journey through each stage of the process, incorporating a logical structure and effective visual presentation while also demonstrating emotional empathy.

Credits