Paws: A Day at Shands

Skills

Character Design
Story Development
Digital Illustration
UI Design

Paws: A Day at Shands is both a story book and an interactive app designed to allow children to understand what will happen when they enter Shands Children’s Hospital. So many kids are not properly prepared for surgery and their anxiety about the procedure can make it more difficult for them and their families. The design is inspired by the Shands building and we created friendly characters to portray each step of the pre-op and post-op experience.

As a part of the MINT Design Studio, we partnered with UF engineers and Shands child life specialists to create this solution. After completing a competitive analysis to determine what success has been made in this market, we decided that the most effective treatment was to illustrate the full experience based on what they will actually see throughout the hospital. This would make the process less scary and by incorporating gameplay we could make them want to learn. My partner, Shannon Alexander, and I were also inspired by story books of a similar topic and we carried our narrative and usage of textures to reflect that.

The Colors

To build our colors, we decided on a three-part monochromatic palette to represent check-in, the hospital room, and the operating room. We chose calming colors and ones that would correspond with the interior of Shands. These backgrounds also allowed our characters to stand out and demonstrate how the kids will move throughout the different rooms of the hospital.

The Characters

We decided to feature a gender-neutral character for our application. Choosing ‘Paws’ allows children to see a familiar animal that they can relate to themselves. I designed Paws and the rest of the cast of characters. I wanted them to be geometric and fun to add playfulness to the story. It was also important to show the same doctors we presented to Paws in scrubs so that the kids know they can trust the people behind the masks.

The Book

For those who don’t have access to an iPad, we created a storybook. They are similar in storyline and in visual language. Careful word choice was important for these materials such as using ‘sleep medicine’ instead of ‘anesthetic’. For this project, I focused on the storybook and its design while Shannon focused on the app though we collaborated throughout the process. You can read the book here.

The App

We developed an app for the hospital iPads but it can also be used at home beforehand. Turning the hospital visit into a game allows the children to be familiar with the space and the doctors that they’ll meet. If doctors are able to successfully prepare the child for the surgery, then it prevents any unnecessary sedation. Shannon and I developed a prototype of the app with our designs for the engineers, you can test it here. It incorporates mini games and interactive story elements to allow the child time to digest the content.