MMI Process Journal by MCTARELLANO

Medical Marijuana Initiative PROCESS AND DEVELOPMENT monica arellano

process journal A designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s process is core to the success or failure of any project they work on. In the following process journal I catalogued the major milestones of my process and the development of my communication design solution for the Medical Marijuana Initiative project for GR620 Visual Thinking.

Design Process//CONTENT

contents +

i d eat i o n

per s on a s

i d en t i t y

m ood b oa r d

initial sketches brainstorming

initial sketches details

logo design creative brief background audience objective TFI SMP keywords deliverables

credible illuminate mature

pos t er s v i s ua l sy s t em

b ook

tool k i t

web s i t e

initial sketches refinment final

initial sketches refinement final

48 initial sketches refinement final visual system

ov erv i ew

s ou r ces

100 photo content

Design Process//CONTENT

ideation initial sketches brainstorming

Ideation is all about coming up with the big idea that will be the focus of ones design. I had to understand the spirit of the assignment in order to successfully explore numerous ideas and narrow my focus down to a single idea that would carry forward. My idea needed to present a problem for which a communication design solution could solve. In addition, if not solved, there should be real consequences and stakeholders who could be negatively impacted. With this in mind I began the process of ideation.

Design Process//IDEATION

i d e at i o n p r o c e s s For this project I went through a divergent ideation process whereby I identified topics and surface level research that could fit the parameters of the project expectations. I narrowed my focus to five potential topics. In the end I would decide to focus on medical marijuana and the stigma that is associated with it. I chose this topic because it is a current event effecting the U.S. today. There is a great amount of information surrounding this topic. Additionally my family and I recently dealt with this topic when we were impacted by a diagnosis of cancer. I realized that many chronically ill or injured patients may be missing out on potential relief because there is a lack of understanding about medical marijuana, and more importantly, it still carries the perception of street drug rather than a medically relevant natural substance.

things i like

dislike

The first part of my divergent ideation began by looking inward at thinks I like, things I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like and things that are mysterious. Keeping in mind the parameters of this project, I knew some of these ideas would not carry enough weight to be considered for the final idea.

things i like

dislike

In this raw process phase, I tried to remain as unedited as possible. You see evidence of scratched out text, expanded ideas, and even notes that run off the page slightly.

things i ’ d like to see solved Next I looked outwards and identified problems I’d like to see solved, problems I don’t think will ever be solved, and problems that with more robust communication design, could inspire a deeper understanding from an audience. One idea was inspired by the current political climate in the U.S. and my frustration with feeling like I didn’t understand enough about the candidates and many topics that were being debated intensely.

One particular thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to see solved is discrimination. I highlighted the Momando project which offers to test peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DNA so they understand their true genetic diversity.

Design Process//IDEATION

mysterious things Of all my inward ideas, the one pertaining to the subject of micro-biome, which was inspired by a book I read over the summer break called Super Genes by Deepak Chopra, had some strong potential and would make it into my top five ideas in the end.

Things I find mysterious include space, biodiversity on earth, micro biome of the human body, healing foods, and cancer.

things that will never be solved These ten ideas were my impossible to solve ideas. World peace ranked number one because there is no communication design that could begin to address this complex problem.

Things I find mysterious include space, biodiversity on earth, micro biome of the human body, healing foods, and cancer.

things that might be solved Some ideas, while fun, didn’t really translate well for the scope of this project. This doesn’t mean it couldn’t work for a future project, so it’s always good to keep these notes.

Communication with animals made it to the top 5 ideas, but because this was a future technology that doesn’t exist, it would be difficult to really find enough content.

Design Process//IDEATION

top

ideas

Of my final topics, I went with medical marijuana. I was excited to create communication for an emerging industry and to bring some clarity to a controversial topic. I also found that the availability of information on this topic was substantial, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential positive benefit to help people who are struggling with chronic pain or illness was a very strong positive outcome for this project.

This was a fruitful section where I found my big idea. I listed that I was excited to work on communication design and packaging for medical marijuana. This idea evolved into communication design which could break the stigma generally associated with marijuana.

Design Process//CONTENT

personas initial sketches brainstorming

Personas are useful because they simplify complex individuals into a set of categorical traits that are manageable. Developing personas help designers to learn about the concerns of a particular group. For this project I developed three personas. One that was on the fence about medical marijuana, one that totally agreed with my point of view, and one that is strongly against any use of marijuana. The two outliers in my group of personas would be pivotal in shaping my design choices. If I could sell the skeptical personas on my idea, the third would naturally buy in as well.

Design Process//PERSONAS

initial sketch Identifying and defining personas for my project was an essential step to my overall design direction. Understanding my audience from three different points, totally on board, on the fence, and not on board at all allowed me to make critical decisions about the way my communication design needed to be to truly be successful in communicating my message.

The pink point on the graph represents someone who is on the fence about an idea but could be persuaded. The green point on the graph represents someone who totally agrees with the perspective my project has and the blue point represents someone who is not in favor of my projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective.

For my personas, I identified one for each point on the bell graph. In the end I designed for the two end point personas because no matter what the result, the middle persona would buy into this idea.

Design Process//PERSONAS

The persona Andy represents the Millennials. This audience will generally agree with a pro-medical marijuana argument but could benefit from understanding the topic better.

Kenny is a persona that represents retirees. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the persona most against the changes surrounding marijuana. This persona in particular influenced the direction of my book. Although it says Maria in my sketchbook, I eventually settled on the name Helen. Helen represents patients with chronic illness or ailments. This audience stands to benefit the most from a greater understanding of medical marijuana and its potential benefits.

As you can see from the traits under each persona, I tried to capture the complexity of each persona and continued to build on this foundation when I fully flushed out my detailed profiles.

Design Process//PERSONAS

Helen was a persona I partially mirrored off of my mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer in the Spring. She is who I’m trying to help.

helen Chronically Ill Patient

Helen is my target audience because I want to give her the tools to make a decision for herself free of the misinformation she’s held onto for so long.

d e m o g r a p h i c d ata Age: 56 years old Experimented with Illegal Drugs: No Medical Conditions: Type 2 Breast Cancer Witnessed Addiction: No

traits

• She had a traditional upbringing: Helen Catholic upbringing. This experience influences her moral/ethical compass, leaving little room for new ways of thinking.

• She is an active registered voter: Helen tries to stay up to date on hot political topics and always votes.

• She primarily gets her news from TV: Not big on reading for news, Helen usually watches news on TV. This limits her information scope on current events or issues that could impact her.

• Enjoys DIY projects at home: A DIY queen, Helen loves flipping through home renovation magazines. She’s had to take a break since her diagnosis, because her energy is low and she wants to be careful to avoid exposure to toxic chemicals that could aggravate her health.

• Cares what people think: Growing up in a small town meant no secrets among neighbors. Helen is careful about her outward projection amongst family, friends, and community.

• Thinks marijuana is a drug: A combination of stigmas she grew up with and a lack of understanding on the subject makes her see marijuana as a drug.

• Is adverse to risk taking: Helen has lived a safe life. This prevents her from taking risks or trying anything new.

Andy was partially modeled after friends peers and aquatences around my age that have publicly expressed their positive opinion or neutral opinion of marijuana use, both medically and recreationally.

andy Millennial

Andy is already on board with recreational use of marijuana and doesn’t see anything wrong with medicinal applications. He could stand to learn more on the topic through my communication design solution.

d e m o g r a p h i c d ata Age: 30 years old Experimented with Illegal Drugs: Yes Medical Conditions: Mild Anxiety Witnessed Addiction: Yes

traits

• Has smoked marijuana for 12 years: Andy tried drug in the past. His long relationship with marijuana reflects his relaxed attitude and opinion about it.

• Uses the web: Andy’s use of the web to get his news fix. This reflects this independent attitude, and skeptical millennial status.

• Recently politically active: Andy felt the need to shape the political landscape with his vote. This change is indicative of growth and taking responsibility for himself and his community.

• Doesn’t go to regular medical checkups: He feels fine so everything must be good right? This reflects his less than mature feelings towards things that are serious, just not in his world.

• Has a relaxed attitude towards opposing political and social topics: Andy’s a lover not a fighter and generally stands neutral when people around him have strong POV. He’ll just agree to disagree.

• Has anxiety: Andy is pushing the limits of software engineering at work. He struggles with work life balance and often uses marijuana to relax after a long day.

• Doesn’t tell people he smokes: Andy’s relaxed but careful. He still fears negative backlash of marijuana use.

Design Process//PERSONAS

Ken is my most difficult persona because he has so much reason to be against marijuana. I aimed to design for him because he was the toughest nut to crack.

ken Retiree

If I can design a solution with a human centered angle, someone as opposed to the idea of legal marijuana in his community may actually reconsider his stance.

d e m o g r a p h i c d ata Age: 59 years old Experimented with Illegal Drugs: No Medical Conditions: Hyperactive Thyroid Witnessed Addiction: Yes

traits

• Retired military officer of 13 years: Ken retired with honors from military service. His experience serving instilled a strong sense of duty and responsibility which he expects from those around him.

• Has family member who succumb to addiction: An unfortunate truth of his past is the number of family members he saw waste away from addiction.

• Politically active: Voting isn’t a privilege to Ken, it’s a civic duty. He stays up to date on political issues and has very conservative views.

• Watches Fox news: He loves his Bill O. Reilly and his opinions are deeply shaped by the news channel. Medical marijuana is a tough sell for Ken. He’ll listen to opposing views, but fears the impact of legalization.

• Gets his news in many places: Staying current is important to Ken. It’s not enough to simply listen to the news, he’s also online. If news comes out about medical marijuana use, he’ll know.

• Doesn’t indulge: This due largely to seeing families succumb to addiction. He has strong opinions on use of any substance that alters one’s state.

• Feels great empathy: Ken’s life was rough, so he relates deeply with people who experience struggle.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

The personas will guide my communication design.

identity logo development creative brief background audience objective TFI SMP keywords deliverables

An Identity is an integral part of a visual system. By itself it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really carry much weight, but when successfully combined with a well developed visual system, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great. I generated my identity shortly after I began to establish my visual system. As I generated this identity, I kept in mind the work that went into my creative brief, and specifically what my objectives were. I needed my identity to be instantly recognizable and to work with the whole of my visual system that was established first in my creative brief and later implemented in my poster designs.

Design Process//IDENTITY

logo development To develop the logo for MMI, I explored iconic, word mark, and combination sketches to see which would best fulfill the objective. Because my project name was shortened to an acronym, I developed a design which used a unique gestalt-like type treatment paired with an iconic but simplified representation of a marijuana leaf. I also chose to include the iconic aid symbol to draw a strong association between marijuana and medicine.

During my word mark exploration, I played with custom lettering that had a Gestalt quality. This idea would make it to my final identity design.

Some of my iconic sketches, while interesting and divergent, were just too complicated to translate well as the final identity.

Developing an identity was complex. After I completed all my sketches I had one last idea, an abstract marijuana leaf. This last idea turned out to be the most promising of the bunch and I would continue to build on the idea of a leaf and overlapping shapes of color in my visual system through photography and semi duotone images.

Design Process//IDENTITY

rough logos

M M M M I M I M M I

M I

These are my digital roughs. Since pixels are free, I explored very freely at this stage. I decided fairly quickly that too many colors looked dangerously close to the NBC peacock logo. I began with a very geometric shape but then moved towards softer oval shapes for the overlapping leaves. I also played with designing a typeface for my letter mark that had some Gestalt qualities to it.

refinements

After this idea was critiqued, I developed the identity further and chose to utilize the cross in a way where the shape was completed by the viewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes. I also wanted to try a tongue depressor shape on the leaves to mirror the roundness of the typography I used for the letter mark and the surrounding dome. I ended up bowing the edges of the leaves, abandoning the dome idea because it looked very similar to stain glass windows in churches, and using the circle instead with small modifications to the typeface to make the word mark read more clearly.

At this stage, I continued to experiment with the type treatment.

Design Process//IDENTITY

final logo

My final identity is a combination icon and letter mark. The aid cross over the leaf, both very iconic and recognizable, work together to promote marijuana as a medical herb. The rounded edges of the leaf are mirrored by the rounded edges of my typography. I made the Ms more legible by adding tiny stumps which donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t connect but help the eye to make the connection. The entire identity is contained in a circle which also mirrors the soft rounded edges of the leaf and typography.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve detailed CMYK and Pantone Matching System colors for my identity. All pantone colors are solid coated for matte printing.

logo colors

Process Black

White

C: 0 M: 0 Y: 0 K: 100

C: 0 M: 0 Y: 0 K: 0

PMS 343

PMS 341

C: 100 M: 0 Y: 70 K: 60

C: 70 M: 0 Y: 75 K: 45

Design Process//IDENTITY

A creative brief is a document which contains the specifications of the design and reasons why it is the way it is. In a professional setting it acts like a contract between client and designer so there are no surprises on the end result.

c r e at i v e b r i e f This next section is where I developed my creative brief. It is helpful for the designer to refer back to this document as they continue to work through their designs for consistency. Developing the creative brief took place in various stages till I finally arrived at the refined creative brief below. We were asked to consider our audience when developing our creative brief to ensure proper alignment of topic, goals, and design objectives. I would often refer back to my creative brief to make sure all elements of my design were meaningful and vetted against my original goals.

My creative brief was developed over several sessions and multiple steps. Once it formed, it acts like a contract between client and designer. Expectations and design choices are measured against it and adjustments are made if necessary.

objective I want to find ways to promote trust and a deeper understanding of cannabis use in a medical capacity, address common concerns, and existing prejudices. What Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found in conducting my research are studies that demonstrate why cannabinoids contained in the cannabis plant have a real impact on patients with certain kinds of chronic pain or illness. I have also found the real life stories of medical cannabis users extremly compelling. I will incorporate science and raw human experience into my design solution. The science will aid understanding for those who are keen to understand marijuana. The real life stories will appeal to people who may never use cannabis medically, to at least reconsider their opinion when the issue goes to vote in their state.

An objective statement clearly stipulates what I hope to achieve with my design. In addition to my expectation for this project, I also synthesized critical insights from my research which informed my design direction.

Design Process//IDENTITY

TFI, or topic for investigation, is a way to identify a problem in the world, specifically the problem within that problem that I will address along with the proposed solution to that problem. The single minded proposition is a statement by which all deliverables must be measured against. If it does not fall in line with the SMP, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not in line with the objective.

topic for investigation “tfi”: medical marijuana stigma one:

Due to the stigma surrounding cannabis use, patients often avoid necessary treatment for prolonged periods of time.

two:

People need to develop a better understanding of cannabis use for medicinal purposes in order to overcome existing prejudices and potentially improve quality of life.

three: I

want to find ways to promote a deeper understanding of cannabis use in a medical capacity, address common concerns, and quell existing prejudices.

single minded proposition “smp”: rethink medical marijuana The content in my designs will get my audience to reconsider their point of view and add more depth of understanding on the topic. My designs will help illuminate the idea that medical marijuana is a legitimate option for treatment.

I developed a TFI for my project to identify what the problem was, what needed to change, and how that change could happen.

Design Process//IDENTITY

Keywords are chosen to help describe the intended visual result of a design. Once selected, they are used to drive the selection of images for the mood boards.

words

Trustworthy

Tailored

Simple

Choice

Approachable

Discrete

Mature

Likable

Empowering

Transformative

Refined

Smooth

Clean

Appealing

Minimalistic

Vibrant

Innovative

Zen

Instructive

Contrast

Credible

Understandable

Engaging

Daring

Illuminating

Recognizable

Inviting

keywords

Credible: The main objective of this project is to build credibility for medical cannabis amongst the target audience. If viewed as credible, those who may be on the fence about trying cannabis for their ailment may finally have the courage to try and those who have previously looked down on cannabis users may back down and perhaps support their community. Illuminating: To illuminate, in the context of this project, is to make clear something that was confusing. To support the objective of making medical cannabis credible, I must first make clear what was once confusing about this topic. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do this by presenting synthesized content that addresses some of the main concerns or prejudices of the past. Mature: Put simply, I want to step away from the Cheech and Chong reputation that cannabis is often assocated with. For my project to be successful, it must present a controversial topic in a mature way. Clean lines, strong use of typographic hierarchy, and imagery can help fight neggative associations.

I developed three keywords that define the direction I want to take the project in. Since marijuana has a bad reputation, I had to communicate credibility. I also needed to inform or illuminate my audience with information about medical marijuana. Finally, for my design to succeed, it needed to have a maturity to it that will result in positive buy in from my audience.

Design Process//IDENTITY

An audience profile, or personas, help me to understand my audience, their motivations and how to design a solution that will be effective. audience My general audience includes individuals who could benefit from a stronger understanding of the medicinal qualities of cannabis. My audience includes chronically ill patients and elderly individuals who often turn to traditional pharmaceuticals because they work, but also suffer the side effects of their use.

Chronically Ill Patient Chronically ill patients in their early to mid 40s-50s that do not currently treat their pain or disease with any form of medical cannabis due to fear and lack of understanding. They face the emotional and physical challenges of chronic illness and pain. They put their faith in the expertise of their doctors, but wonder if there are non pharmaceutical options for pain management.

Millennials Millennials in their early to mid 20s-30s who may or may not currently use cannabis recreationally or medically. They have no personal hangups regarding cannabis and are a little cavalier towards its use. They can benefit from a deeper understanding of medical cannabis use, to educate themselves and others around them.

Retirees Retirees in their mid 60s-70s vote often and harbor strong prejudices regarding the use of cannabis in any capacity. They are a compassionate generation that understands chronic pain, and loss and would possibly change their perspective to help people they identify with in their communities.

Although I developed three audience profiles, personas, I drew the majority of my design inspiration from the chronically ill patients and retirees.

Design Process//IDENTITY

Deliverables can take on a variety of forms. What deliverables will work depends on the information I developed in my creative brief. deliverables testimonial book : The book will focus on the human element. It will be a collection of testimonials from patients who have used or would like to use medical marijuana. Media: Book design, printed and bound saddle stitch Quantity: cover page design, intro spread, 5-7 interior spreads

toolkit: The toolkit is a multi piece deliverable which will help facilitate the conversation between patient and doctor. Media: Toolkit design, printed and assembled & digital comp. Quantity: 1 tool kit, 5 components •

envelope

•

3 instructional cards

•

notes journal

objective of my project.

•

member letter

Because I’m dealing with a topic that

•

business card

Deliverables for my project were selected based on what medium would best carry my message and meet the

is so controversial, I wanted to introduce a strong human element to the conversation. I felt a book was the

website : The website will serve as a media channel to inform, interact, and get connected to medical cannabis resources. Media: Front end UI in pdf format, digital comp Quantity: 5 web pages

best choice for this task because I can combine image, words, and dynamic composition to convey a strong message of compassion. My project could potentially help patients

•

homepage

•

about page

•

mission statement

toolkit for my second deliverable.

•

resource page

The third deliverable is a website

•

discussion board

and their caregivers to facilitate the conversation they need to have with their doctor. To accomplish this I chose a

because it is an excellent media channel to inform my audience, facilitate interaction, and connect my audience to useful resources related to medical marijuana.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

I want to bring the

human element

into the medical marijuana conversation.

Design Process//CONTENT

mood boards credible illuminate mature

Mood boards are created using the keywords and are comprised of indexical, iconic, or symbolic images that represent the visual direction you would like to take a project in. I created three mood boards to serve as a guiding light and anchor. If I felt confused on what to do next, these mood boards provided a place to do visual exploration.

Design Process//MOOD BOARDS

keyword:

credible

My mood boards were influenced by my three keywords. For credible I was looking for design which presented information in a way that increased oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opinion of that particular topic. I pulled inspiration from Pinterest and an exhibit I attended in the Oakland Museum of California.

keyword:

i l l u m i n at e

My illuminate mood board focuses on highlighting important details to give them hierarchy and elevate their importance.

Design Process//MOOD BOARDS

keyword:

m at u r e

My mature mood board includes pulls that I felt represented clean and mature design principals. Something an adult would want to pick up and learn more about. I also pulled influence from the faux duotone and dusty yellow and green color palette in parts of this mood board.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

I want to find ways to promote a deeper understanding of cannabis use in a medical capacity, address common concerns, and quell existing prejudices.

Design Process//CONTENT

posters visual + system posters: initial sketches posters: refinements poster: finals visual system

A visual system is a set of established rules that allow a designer to work within a framework of elements, i.e. color, typography, graphic element, illustration, photography, composition. This system of rules allows for consistency and variation in design. To initially establish MMIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visual system, I designed three posters that, once refined, would create the basis for my visual system in for next three deliverables.

Design Process//POSTERS + VISUAL SYSTEM

initial sketch The goal for my MMI posters was to present my audience with a problem and potential solution. The work on my posters began with a series of sketches which evolve into digital roughs. These digital roughs were refined further until I had a strong impression of my visual system. Once complete, I dissected my posters for the core rules and systems that would carry through to the remaining deliverables for my project.

My initial sketches were extremely rough but I generated an interesting variation in visual directions and copy to use in the actual posters.

I also explored the idea of incorporating a graphic element which associated marijuana as a helpful aid to chronically ill or injured patients.

I explored the idea of vertical word placement on one side of the poster set to a large scale. Once I developed my message further, that vertical word became one word which asked a simple question to my target audience. Sick? Consider marijuana was my basic message.

Design Process//POSTERS + VISUAL SYSTEM

d i g i ta l r o u g h s Digital roughs are the first attempt at translating a rough sketch into an actual document using the adobe suite in this instance. My first digital roughs felt pretty good. They presented some variation and great use of black and white photography. I still needed to explore stronger variation in photography by perhaps bringing in the human element. I also needed to conduct further typographic exploration, color exploration, and the idea of using a faux duotone technique in my work.

After this first submission, I went back to explore better color harmony. I also explored typographic combinations which would work well across all three posters and placement.

Design Process//POSTERS + VISUAL SYSTEM

refinements After synthesizing my previous critique, I made several adjustments to the posters. The most noticeable change is color selection and photography. I picked images which would illustrate the person who could benefit from medical marijuana use and also illustrate the naturalness in which marijuana is grown. For my colors, I explored dusty earth tones of green, moss, and yellow. I also explored typeface combinations for my posters and ultimately decided on a slab serif, Rockwell, and a san serif Gotham. Both felt mature and complemented each other well on the poster. I also attempted to make the graphic shapes and icons less prominent, but in the end I would decide that the posters felt stronger without them as you will see in my final posters. Lastly, I played with placement of the large scaled copy and felt that the middle poster felt the most dynamic of the three.

With my photographic variation improved and typographic combination working, I now had to ask the all important question. Does everything in my composition have a purpose and work? This would lead to me removing the large graphic icons. The posters worked without them so were they ever really necessary?

Design Process//POSTERS + VISUAL SYSTEM

These are the final posters and the beginning of my visual system. From the refined set, I have changed all large scale copy to sit vertically on the poster and bleed off slightly at the top. This makes for a more dynamic composition that stands out notably from my previous set. It also creates more unity in the set of posters. I also adjusted the colors a bit to work consistently with my system as a whole. I added the identity I worked on in the previous sections and removed the large graphic element from the previous posters because it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really add anything to the overall composition. There is more balance and harmony in my final set of posters thanks to the critiques I received and the adjustments I made.

SEIZURES?

final

RETHINK

your treatment options

learn how medical marijuana can help www.mmi.com

your treatment options learn how medical marijuana can help www.mmi.com

ARTHRITIS?

NAUSEA?

RETHINK

your treatment options learn how medical marijuana can help www.mmi.com

The above posters series is a culmination of constant modification and analyzing what works, what doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work, and making sure all components are necessary. You can also see the final identity integrated into the poster which works nicely.

Design Process//POSTERS + VISUAL SYSTEM

Once a project reaches a level of refinement, designers will comp it in the intended environment to help clients visualize how it will feel and read. During my initial research, I identified three locations that my posters would ideally be placed in order to be seen by my intended audience. The location Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve pictured to the left is VISTAS Healthcare, a local hospice located in San Francisco. I chose this location because my target audience includes individuals who are struggling with chronic pain or illness.

NAUSEA?

comp

RETHINK your treatment options learn how medical marijuana can help www.mmi.com

lo c at i o n

VISTAS Healthcare 1388 Sutter St., SF

Although each poster could stand alone, I felt that the series showed extremely well when pictured as a complete set of three. I made sure to photograph a location that could accommodate all three posters.

I scouted this location on foot and photographed the front window of the facility where patients, caregivers, and family members would walk by to enter.

Design Process//POSTERS + VISUAL SYSTEM

visual system After I reached a good level of refinement on my posters, I was able to dissect them for their elements and establish rules which I could use moving forward with the rest of my deliverables. The rules I established in my posters help to create consistency and variation in my designs moving forward. As you will see in the coming sections, the visual system I established helped me to avoid appearing too cookie cutter or disconnected.

RETHINK your treatment options learn how medical marijuana can help www.mmi.com

SEIZURES?

learn how medical marijuana can help www.mmi.com

NAUSEA?

ARTHRITIS?

RETHINK

your treatment options

RE THINK

your treatment options

learn how medical marijuana can help www.mmi.com

Dissection system elements

Below is a dissection of the visual system established in the posters. color:

PMS 5487

PMS 577

PMS 5777

White

Process Black

C: 65 M: 40 Y: 50 K: 15

C: 35 M: 10 Y: 65 K: 0

C: 100 M: 0 Y: 70 K: 60

C: 0 M: 0 Y: 0 K: 0

C: 0 M: 0 Y: 0 K: 100

image

i l l u s t r at i o n :

typography:

•

marijuana leaf illustration

•

Display text can sit vertically or horizontally.

•

aid icon

•

Gotham, roman, bold, ALL CAPS, small caps, and upper/lower case.

•

Rockwell, roman, bold, ALL CAPS, small caps, and upper/lower case.

•

Custom word mark.

•

Photography: High contrast indexical/iconic black and white photographs to illustrate the people who benefit from medical cannabis use, or illustrate the naturalness in which product is grown.

composition:

•

Clean use of asymmetrical layout, dynamic scale change, graphic icon (logo), typographic hierarchy through weight and scale change.

graphic devices:

•

geometric shapes & linear elements

Design Process//CONTENT

testimonial book initial sketches refinement final

My book is a multi-spread deliverable that conveys a strong human centered message using the visual system I established in my poster series. The goal with the book was to change the perception of marijuana and the people who use it medicinally. I achieved this by utilizing the testimonial of individuals who have been impacted by medical marijuana use or the inability to access it.

Design Process//BOOK

initial sketch The goal for my posters was to change the perception of medical marijuana. Associating a strong human centered argument for medical marijuana can be extremely effective in changing the hearts and minds of individuals who may be on the fence or donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize how medical cannabis helps people in their communities.

Initial sketches of my book contained scale change in typography, dynamic asymmetrical composition of words and images, and the use of quotes to reinforce a strong idea.

From initial sketch to digital rough, ideas can and do evolve. Beginning with paper and pencil is essential to freely explore ideas without the limitations of a digital environment.

My identity was still evolving during this stage. Because of my iconic use of the aid symbol, Hunter recommended that it could be substituted for the ampersand symbol. I ended up carrying this idea through my other deliverables as well. Marijuana has been many things in it’s long history. Medicine, raw industrial material, recreational drug, schedule 1 controlled substance, and the subject of heated political debates in the United States. There are those who can benefit directly and indirectly from various forms of medicinal marijuana. See their faces, read their words.

FACES &WORDS

Jane

Rethink medical marijuana.

The Patients of cannabis

Amelia

Beverly

Jane

monica arellano

Amelia

When a loved one is suffering, you do whatever you can to ease her pain. There’s simply no reason that this safe, effective medicine should not be available to those who need it.

As children with Dravet syndrome get older, their decline in cognitive function stabilizes, and in many, it improves slightly. However, most teenagers with Dravet syndrome are dependent on caregivers. The degree of cognitive impairment appears to correlate with the frequency of seizures.

”

Mom tolerated the first full series of chemo quite well. However, the pills she was prescribed for the vomiting cost $100 each, were only about 75% effective, took 30 minutes to start working, and were not covered by insurance. The medication did nothing at all for her dwindling appetite. Another surgery and a second series of chemo took its toll. Mom was withering away to nothing with no appetite. She suffered serious stomach sickness and found it extremely hard to stay in a positive frame of mind. That’s when a friend of my Dad’s suggested marijuana. My family will tell you that the only miracle drug for

Amelia was born a healthy baby, but around 18 months old she had her first seizure. Amelia did not have another seizure for almost a full year. By then she was 2 years old; walking, talking in sentences, singing her alphabet, and counting to 20. One morning my husband went to check on Amelia and found her having a seizure in her crib. By the time we got to the hospital, her seizure had stopped. It was followed a few minutes later by another seizure, and then four more. The next four months were spent in and out of three different hospitals searching for relief that we couldn’t find. We could not find anything to help control the seizures and Amelia lost the ability to talk, walk, and feed herself. With a combination of a special diet and two anti-epileptic medications, she was able to have a short period of being seizure free. She gained the ability to walk and talk again. I fully believed we had more control over the situation. She would be able to talk and have a full life. I felt as if my family could handle this.

cancer is marijuana. Two puffs, two minutes, and the violent sickness was totally gone. An hour later, Mom was able to have a good meal. The stomach problems

Unfortunately, this period of seizure control did not last. Currently, she is has 20-30 seizures a daily and lost her ability to communicate and move. Finally Amelia was diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy.

from the chemo were totally gone. It also helped her regain a quality of life that allowed her to continue to fight. Mom ended up living for four and a half more years. She would never have survived the second year without medical marijuana. With it, she was able to keep fighting and was even able to travel overseas before the end. In the 12 months before she died, she visited Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Mexico, Cuba, and Greece. These were all lifelong dreams that she was able to fulfill only because of medical marijuana. source

My husband and I read about parents experiencing success with CBD oil. Children who have tried this form of medical cannabis have been able to reduce their seizures giving them a chance to regain their basic motor and communication skills. Until our state legalizes its use, we can’t get Amelia access to the medication that could improve her quality of life.

: mncares.org

source

words

faces

words

faces

Beverly

words

faces

words

: mncares.org faces

The first set of digital roughs were very content heavy and needed a little more use of negative space and asymmetry to really bring out the best composition.

It was January 2007 when we found out that Beverly, my wife of 51 years, had advanced ovarian carcinoma. The prognosis was grim, but not impossible. Cancer treatment is an emotional roller coaster, but we had hope right up until the last day. As a practicing OB-GYN physician of 29 years, I had dedicated my life to caring for people, healing, and bringing life into the world. After Beverly’s diagnosis, I knew plenty of uncertainty lay ahead. Beverly underwent surgery and several courses of grueling chemotherapy. She lost so much weight, literally wasting away before my eyes. Our family physician prescribed Zofran, an anti-nausea drug that dissolves in your mouth, allowing you to take it even while you are actively nauseated. But Zofran has drawbacks: it takes a while to work and must be taken every three to four hours. At $46 a pill, the bill can add up quickly and did not eliminate the nausea.

She took two puffs, looked at me, and said, “The nausea’s gone!”

” words

I carried the visual system well from my posters while still introducing interesting variation.

Over the years I had heard that marijuana was the most helpful treatment for the nausea that accompanies chemotherapy. I put the word out in my community that we were willing to try marijuana if we could find some. A few days later, a friend left a baggie of marijuana for Beverly. I didn’t know who had left it, and I didn’t care. I wanted to do whatever I could to help my wife. I fashioned a crude pipe by drilling out a two-inch ball in my workshop and inserted a plastic straw. I put a little marijuana in it, lit it, and gave it to Beverly. She took two puffs, looked at me, and said, “The nausea’s gone!” It was miraculous. Within seconds, the nausea just disappeared. It was as prompt and as dramatic of a response to medication as I have ever seen in 30 years of practicing medicine.

faces

words

faces

source

: mncares.org 9

Design Process//BOOK

refinement For each refinement, I synthesized the critiques from Hunter and my classmates and continued to work towards a more cohesive design for my book.

medical marijuana Marijuana has been many things in it’s long history. Medicine, raw industrial material, recreational drug, schedule 1 controlled substance, and the subject of heated political debates in the United States. There are those who can benefit directly and indirectly from various forms of medicinal marijuana. See their faces, read their words.

As I continued to refine my book, new things to consider would come up in discussion. It was vital for me to address as many issues as possible in my design so we could as a group get to the core issues in my design and really identify the best solutions.

Jane

Amelia

Rethink medical marijuana.

Beverly

Daniel

Todd words

WORDS FACES

faces

words

My mother, Jane Schmidt, was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in November 2003 and was given about a year to live. Mom went through many surgeries and many hospitals. She caught MERSA, a flesh-eating virus, while in the hospital, so recovering from each surgery became much more complicated. Mom tolerated the first full series of chemo quite well. However, the pills she was prescribed for the vomiting cost $100 each, were only about 75% effective, took 30 minutes to start working, and were not covered by insurance. The medication did nothing at all for her dwindling appetite. Another surgery and a second series of chemo took its toll. Mom was withering away to nothing with no appetite. She suffered serious

When a loved one is suffering, you do whatever you can to ease her pain. There’s simply no reason that this safe, effective medicine should not be available to those who need it.

”

stomach sickness and found it extremely hard to stay in a positive frame of mind. That’s when a friend of my Dad’s suggested marijuana.

One new issue that came up during the refinement phase was the cover photo. Although it is an accurate depiction of someone with wasting syndrome, it was too scary for a cover image and could act as noise which prevents people from picking up the book in the first place.

My family will tell you that the only miracle drug for cancer is marijuana. Two puffs, two minutes, and the violent sickness was totally gone. An hour later, Mom was able to have a good meal. The stomach problems from the chemo were totally gone. It also helped her regain a quality of life that allowed her to continue to fight. source

: mncares.org

the end. In the 12 months before she died, she visited Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Mexico, Cuba, and Greece. These were all lifelong dreams that she was able to fulfill only because of medical marijuana.

words

About

“

Mom ended up living for four and a half more years. She would never have survived the second year without medical marijuana. With it, she was able to keep fighting and was even able to travel overseas before

MMI stands for the Medical Marijuana Initiative. Our mission is to provide insight about medical marijuana that patients and caregivers can use to make informed healthcare choices. We strive to provide facts, information, and testimonials that will put to rest the negative perception that marijuana is nothing more than a dangerous and addictive substance with no medical use. It’s time to rethink medical marijuana.

faces

words

faces

Amelia Amelia was born a healthy baby, but around 18 months old she had her first seizure. Amelia did not have another seizure for almost a full year. By then she was 2 years old; walking, talking in sentences, singing her alphabet, and counting to 20. One morning my husband went to check on Amelia and found her having a seizure in her crib. By the time we got

For 3,000 years marijuana was a legitimate medication. -dr.

s a n j ay g u p ta

neurosurgeon

to the hospital, her seizure had stopped. It was followed a few minutes later by another seizure, and then four more.

Until our state legalizes its use, we can’t get Amelia access to the medication that could improve her quality of life.

The next four months were spent in and out of three different hospitals searching for relief that we couldn’t find. We could not find anything to help control the seizures and Amelia lost the ability to talk, walk, and feed herself.

”

With a combination of a special diet and two anti-epileptic medications, she was able to have a short period of being seizure free. She gained the ability to walk and talk again. I fully believed we had more control over the situation. She would be able to talk and have a full life. I felt as if my family could handle this.

The about page spread and the Amelia spread had particularly great asymmetrical composition which combined words, image, and displayed great use of negative space. Unfortunately, this period of seizure control did not last. Currently, she is has 20-30 seizures a daily and lost her ability to communicate and move. Finally Amelia was diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy.

source

words

faces

Jane

m e d i c a l m a r i j u a n a i n i t i at i v e t o l e a r n m o r e v i s i t w w w . m m i n i t i at i v e . c o m

The patients of cannabis

m e d i c a l m a r i j u a n a i n i t i at i v e

words

faces

words

faces

: mncares.org

words

faces

Beverly It was January 2007 when we found out that Beverly,

Jane Amelia Beverly Daniel Todd and so many more...

my wife of 51 years, had advanced ovarian carcinoma. The prognosis was grim, but not impossible. Cancer treatment is an emotional roller coaster, but we had hope right up until the last day. After Beverly’s diagnosis, I knew plenty of uncertainty lay ahead. Beverly underwent surgery and several courses of grueling chemotherapy. She lost so much weight, literally wasting away before my eyes. Our physician prescribed Zofran, an anti-nausea drug. But Zofran has drawbacks: it takes a while to work and must be taken every three to four hours. At $46 a pill, the bill can add up quickly and did not eliminate the nausea.

She took two puffs, looked at me, and said, “The nausea’s gone!”

”

words

faces

Danny was given numerous rounds of radiation and chemotherapy, which caused him to lose 60 pounds due to extreme nausea and total loss of appetite. Dan was hospitalized 15 times, for a total of 57 days, and underwent 14 surgeries. The list of pharmaceuticals he was given was lengthy, to say the least. They included Coumadin, Lovenox, Ambien, Lasix, along with a Fentanyl patch, oxycodone, and morphine for pain; for depression and anxiety, lorazepam, trazodone, and Celexa. Some of these medications caused Danny to hallucinate and behave erratically.

After witnessing the benefits it provided to our son, my wife and I agreed that we would go to prison, if need be, to support him in the use of what is presently an illegal drug.

The anti-nausea medications in particular didn’t work, leading him to the point of trying medical marijuana. It led to an immediate change in the quality of life he had left. It reduced his pain and took away his nausea and loss of appetite, which enabled him to live far beyond all projections. We were told by the oncologist that this was beyond anything he’d ever seen.

”

During his two-year battle with cancer, Danny insisted on maintaining his landscaping business, and upholding his duties as a husband and father of four. He couldn’t have done these things without the use of medical marijuana.

source

: mncares.org

faces

words

faces

Todd My name is Todd and I have a spinal cord injury at T3, that’s complete paralysis from about the mid-chest down. As a result I suffer from neurological pain. The pain is strangest type of pain you can describe. It’s like being burned or stabbed, twenty-four hours a day. It’s worse at night and not as bad during the day as long as I take my pharmaceutical medication.

To anyone with a similar injury I would say use what works.

”

Nothing really seems to help. I am prescribed a number of anti-seizure medications. Some, I take for the baseline pain, but they don’t help with the flare-ups. Opiates are reserved for the flare-ups, but they don’t do much either. I currently taking Gabapentin and Neuronton, both anti-epileptic, anticonvulsants. Both very serious drugs with very serious side effects. He is currently taking their maximum dose. It’s not like you broke a bone or you cut your arm. The pain is completely different. They (pharmaceuticals) don’t seem to work with that kind of pain. Rarely, if ever, and they make you feel like you don’t want to do anything. I’ve been using cannabis medicinally for about a year. It doesn’t take the pain away completely, but much more so than any medication I have been prescribed. I function very well too. I’m lucky in that most of my flare-ups happen at night. It’s much easier to relax at night (with cannabis) than with Oxycontin or Vicodin or morphine or anything like that. It’s the best kind of medication for my type of pain that I could recommend to anybody. To anyone with a similar injury I would say use what works.

source words

faces

words

faces

words

faces

Once again you see my identity continues to evolve slightly in the refinement stage of my book. All components of my project continue to refine even after we move on to other deliverables and even up to the final submission.

Daniel

s a n j ay g u p ta

neurosurgeon

: mncares.org

On October 5, 2004, at the age of 28, our son, Daniel Milton Peterson, was diagnosed with inoperable terminal cancer, known as cholangiocarcinoma. Danny was given a death sentence of three to six months to live in October 2004.

words

-dr.

took two puffs, looked at me, and said, “The nausea’s gone!” It was miraculous. Within seconds, the nausea just disappeared. It was as prompt and as dramatic of a response to medication as I have ever seen in 30 years of practicing medicine.

faces

In summary, the use of medical marijuana by our son allowed him a much greater quality of life, with reduced pain and suffering.

It is time for a medical marijuana revolution.

I fashioned a crude pipe by drilling out a two-inch ball in my workshop and inserted a plastic straw. I put a little marijuana in it, lit it, and gave it to Beverly. She

source

words

“

: mncares.org words

faces

Design Process//BOOK

final My final book is a culmination of continual refinement until I arrived at the finished deliverable. The last critiques for my book helped me to narrow down the most minute of details which could improve my book or take it to the next level. I added additional spreads to help close the book on a strong note and refined my cover and interior spreads further for better flow. These are my flat comps, and the following spread contains photographed comps.

Design Process//BOOK

Design Process//CONTENT

toolkit initial sketches refinement final

My toolkit is comprised of multiple parts to help patients and caregivers get connected with marijuana. The overall goal for my second deliverable was to allow my audience to connect with medical marijuana. To do this, I designed a toolkit which would allow them to start a conversation with their doctor about treatments using marijuana, information on what marijuana could potentially help with, and places to go and get marijuana.

Design Process//TOOLKIT

initial sketch The goal for my toolkit is to get my audience connected with medical marijuana by helping to start the conversation. In my research of patient testimonials, I realized that most patients never talk to their doctors about marijuana use and even less doctors raise the issue in their office when the patient is there. My toolkit will aid in this communication between my audience and their doctor. In addition, my toolkit will help identify how marijuana can help and what options are available to access marijuana.

Having well defined directions from the initial stage of development was instrumental in flushing out a successful deliverable and measuring up against the original objectives for the toolkit.

You can see some ideas that carried through, like the scaled text on this first sketch.

My initial sketches and first digital rough were not hugely successful, but my objective was clear and I was able to revisit the design in this set of sketches to create a toolkit that really hit the goal and helped my audience.

Design Process//TOOLKIT

refinement The toolkit below is my first digital rough which was later refined into the kit to the right. The first kit required major revisions to really harness the idea of a toolkit and my goal more effectively. One of the biggest changes you’ll notice is the vehicle in which my toolkit is enclosed in the revised kit. This was necessary to house all the small components of my kit. In an attempt to create variation in my system, I took out all photography in my refined toolkit. During the critique it was brought up that I should perhaps bring some images back in, keeping in mind that my kit should be discrete and not scream “I want pot.”

RETHINK MEDICAL M A R I J UA N A

w w w. m m i n i t i a t i ve . c o m

b u s i n e s s c a rd front/back

MEDICAL MARIJUANA I N I T I AT I V E

July 25, 2016

what can medical marijuana help with

Marijuana has been used to help with a variety of conditions. Studies confirm that for the following conditions, medical marijuana has improved a patient’s quality of life.

rethink

To our MMI members:

• •

Nausea Seizures

• •

Nerve pain Loss of appetite

•

General pain

•

Wasting syndrome

Thank you for your interest in the patient and doctor access toolkit. MMI stands for the Medical Marijuana Initiative. Our goal is to connect people who may be considering medicinal marijuana the information they need to be able to make an educated choice on their healthcare or the healthcare of others. This toolkit prepares patients for the important conversation they will have with their doctors about whether or not marijuana can help with their injury or illness. To help facilitate this conversation, patients and caregivers can find a buckslip with questions to ask their doctors and a section which identifies some common uses for medical marijuana. In addition, there is a journal to document questions and answers which can help facilitate ones decisions.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA Is it right for me?

Information is powerful, but we believe the words and images of patients directly effected by the use of medical marijuana can be even more so. Included in this toolkit is a postcard that can be mailed in to get a copy of Faces + Words, a revealing book about patients who’ve been impacted by the use of medical marijuana. Finally, the entire tool kit is packaged in a folder to make it easy for patients and caregivers to easily and discretely bring their questions to their doctor appointments.

More research is needed to confirm marijuana’s potential medical applications for a wider range of conditions, but patients have reported positive uses beyond the confirmed list. To see study results or talk with patients on the MMI discussion boards please visit www.mminitiative.com

what should i ask my doctor

Your doctor should be involved in important choices regarding your health. Before beginning use of any medical marijuana make sure to ask your doctor some important questions.

The MMI team hopes this toolkit will help you to gain knowledge and access about and to medical marijuana.

• Sincerely,

•

The MMI Team

•

w w w. m m i n i t i a t i ve . c o m

•

Can marijuana be used in place of my current medication? Are there any drug interactions I need to be aware of? Would you use marijuana to treat this condition for yourself? Can you right a recommendation for use of medical marijuana?

RETHINK M E D I C A L M A R I J UA N A

One component of the initial kit which simply didn’t work was the postcard. This quickly got eliminated for the notebook which added more function to my kit.

• •

•

How much marijuana should I use at first? Have any of your patients used marijuana for a similar condition, and what did they experience? What strain of marijuana will help with my specific needs?

MEDICAL MARIJUANA I N I T I AT I V E

MEDICAL M A R I J UA N A I N I T I AT I V E

NOTES

rethink

w w w. m m i n i t i a t i ve . c o m

www.mmiproject.com

MEDICAL MARIJUANA I N I T I AT I V E

w w w. m m i n i t i a t i ve . c o m

To our MMI members: Thank you for your interest in the MMI patient toolkit. MMI stands for the Medical Marijuana Initiative. Our mission is to connect people who may be considering medicinal marijuana as a treatment option with the information they need to be able to make healthcare choices.

MEDICAL M A R I J UA N A I N I T I AT I V E

This toolkit prepares patients for the important conversation they will have with their doctors about whether or not marijuana can help with their injury or illness. In addition, the tool kit outlines the differences between coopertives and dispensaries allowing patients to decide how they will access their medcine. The MMI team hopes to empower patients and caregivers. Sincerely, The MMI Team

The information buck slip evolved into three cards that would simply guide my audience through important steps.

CooPErATIVE or DIsPENsArY ... What ’ s the DiFFerence ?

NOTES

When deciding where to access medical marijuana, you have a choice between growing your own, becoming a member at your local cooperative or simply going to a dispensary.

o3 o2 o1

Cooperatives

Dispensaries

Marijuana cooperatives are comprised of a group of

Marijuana dispensaries are different from cooperatives

caregivers, who cultivate marijuana, and patients, who

for two main reasons.

WhAT shoulD AsK MY DoCTor ? is their audience. Anyone with a medical mariYou have to be a member to gainIaccess. It’s an organization The second need marijuana.

First is the business model. Dispensaries are a for profit entity.

that merely facilitates the collaborative efforts of patient

juana recommendation can gain access to a dispensary. The

Your doctor should be involved in important choices regarding your healthcare. and caregiver members, including the allocation of costs have a large selection of products because they work with a Before beginning use of medical marijuana, make sure to ask your doctor some and revenues. As such, a collective is not a statutory entity, variety of vendors vs the cooperatives which work within the important questions.

WhAT CAN MEDICAl MArIJuANA hElP WITh ?

but as a practical matter it might have to be organized as confines of what they can cultivate and what vendors within •some Can marijuana be used place of its my activities. cur• Here How marijuana shouldcultivate. I use at first? form of business to in carry out aremuch their cooperatives Here are the highlights:

FA C E S + W O R D S The patients of medical marijuana

Although my kit improved greatly from the first attempt, a few things still needed further consideration. The ring pattern was a new element that really felt out of place in my system. Also the tiny notebook used a font treatment that was usually used with the Gotham typeface and not the Rockwell typeface that I used initially.

medication? • Have any of your patients used marithe rent highlights: has to help withto a variety ofjuana conditions. Studies confirm that for for a similar condition, and what •Marijuana Are there anybeen drugused interactions I need be • You only need your medical recommendation to • You must be a member to get access theaware following a patient’s quality of life. of? conditions, medical marijuana has improved did they experience? get access • Cooperatives are non profit ••• Would you use to marijuana treattime this con•• What strain marijuana will with my • of Dispensaries arehelp for profit Nausea • to General painto You may need volunteer your the cooperative Loss of appetite dition for yourself? Seizures • Nerve pain • Knowledgeable vendors/patients Can you rightofa patients recommendation forwith use of Community to connect medical marijuana? more visit www.mmiproject.com •To learn Strong patient numbers are needed to sustain

•• ••

collectives

specific Hybrid? •syndrome NoSativa? need toIndica? volunteer, just pay and go Wastingneeds?

• • •

Dispensary employees have limited knowledge based on what they themselves smoke Generally no community programs Patients are mix of recreational users and real patients

Design Process//TOOLKIT

final For my final deliverable, I considered function and my established system which evolved my toolkit to a much stronger design. The folder, which in the refined version, had a very dark green color with no imagery was adjusted to reflect the system I established in my previous deliverables. I chose a photograph which represented the audience which would benefit from medical marijuana rather than an image of a marijuana leaf. I felt this was more discrete and communicated a clear message of what the toolkit was for. I also considered the reverse side of the instructional cards and added imagery there as well as a number to easily identify the cards no matter what side they were on. Finally I considered different ways the notebook could be housed in my kit and decided on a paper slip which would hold the notebook in place, secured by the business card and a low tack adhesive. The notebook is strategically placed to cover up the cover letter, but still reveal the word rethink set vertically to the left. On this spread are the digital flat comps and the following pages have photographed tight comps.

In my final push to refine the toolkit, I went back and considered what would exist on the other side of the cards. I chose images in a duotone consistant with my system paired with a number for easy identification of the card.

One problem I had to solve was how to house the notebook. I looked into a few possibilities and decided that a simple and effective solution was to slip the back of the notebook behind the letter and secure it with a strap and the business card. Once removed, the audience can read the letter and take notes.

Design Process//TOOLKIT

medical marijuana Design Process//CONTENT

Start the conve medical source

website Indica, hy Studies are being held today on the deritaves of initial sketches marijuana refinementand how it can help final with a variety of illnesses and ailments.

Learn more

sativa, TH CBD...

ersation with your doctor + find your e. Order your MMI toolkit today.

Learn more

Websites are incredible tools to disseminate a variety of information in an organized way.

ybrid, HC,

I chose a website as my third deliverable because my goal was to educate my audience about marijuana. I achieved my goal by providing information on clinical studies, different strains of marijuana, variation and uses of chemical components found in marijuana, and providing a central location for my audience to discuss topics related to medical marijuana. Designing this deliverable was a challenge.

Do you know the difference? Learn more

WORDS +FACES The patients of marijuana

Design Process//WEBSITE

Some great ideas can get cut too. Originally I wanted to include location finder for doctors, dispensaries, and other medical marijuana related resources. I may add this in after the project is over.

Below you start to see what would eventually become the layout of my website. There is a stronger use of space and content to fully utilize the online medium.

In my initial sketches, I thought of producing a scrolling page, but I decided to go the route of traditional pages with some longer pages where it was functionally necessary.

These digital roughs left far too much unused space in their design.

About us

Our mission

Research

Forum

Locator

Tool kit

About us

MEDICAL MARIJUANA INITIATIVE

Our mission

Research

Forum

Locator

Tool kit

About us MMI stands for the Medical Marijuana Initiative. We are a diverse group of individuals who currate information about medical marijuana and put the word out into the world that marijuana is so much more than a dangerous addictive stubstance. We pride ourselves on providing the latest research and resources which facilitate learning and understanding.

Helping people to understand and rethink medical marijuana

About us

Our mission

Research

Forum

Locator

Tool kit

Our mission Our mission is to provide insight about medical marijuana that can be used to make informed healthcare choices. We strive to provide facts, information, and testimonials that will put to rest the negative perception that marijuana is nothing more than a dangerous and addictive substance with no medical use. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to rethink medical marijuana.

About us

Our mission

Research

Forum

Locator

Tool kit

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

RESEARCH Nausea Nerve Pain Glaucoma Addiction

Nausea is a feeling of sickness or queasiness in the stomach, or an urge to throw up. Nausea is a common side effect of many medications, including chemotherapy for cancer. Can Marijuana Help Control Nausea? Of 35 studies, 29 indicate marijuana is effective for treating nausea. In one study held in 2010, patients of chemotheraphy were given a THC nasal spray and reported a 71% reduction in nausea from those who used the placebo.

Design Process//WEBSITE

refinement I struggled with my website because I had not worked on UI design very much, and I felt more comfortable in print design. This is very apparent in the initial digital roughs. I had a very good critique following the submission of my first digital roughs, which allowed me to shift my design from something that would work better in a book to a functional website that could achieve the intended objective. Although I still have a great deal to learn when it comes to UI design, this experience was very illuminating for me personally.

About us

Toolkit/book

Research

Discussion

About us

Discussion

My grid started to shape up nicely in

was to introduce it sooner and to find a way to group related content.

Start the conversation with your doctor + find your medical source. Order your MMI toolkit today. Learn more

Studies are being held today on the deritaves of marijuana and how it can help with a variety of illnesses and ailments.

Research

Talk with fellow patients my revised website. The new challenge and caregivers

MEDICAL MARIJUANA INITIATIVE

Rethink medical marijuana

Toolkit/book

Indica, hybrid, sativa, THC, CBD...

Do you know the difference?

Marijuana + Cancer

Anxiety

Dravet Syndrome

Growing

Glaucoma

MS + Marijuana

Medical Marijuana + Children

Edibles vs Flower

Learn more

WORDS The patients of marijuana Get your copy + rethink marijuana Learn more

For the refinement of the website, I introduced more content for each page. One of my biggest problems with my initial design of the website was gratuitous amounts of negative space that could have been filled with content.

About us

ABOUT US

+FACES

Toolkit/book

Research

Discussion

MMI stands for the Medical Marijuana Initiative. We are a diverse group of individuals who currate information about medical marijuana and put the word out into the world that marijuana is so much more than a dangerous addictive stubstance. We pride ourselves on providing the latest research and resources which facilitate learning and understanding.

About us

Toolkit/book

Discussion

Research

About us

Click + Learn

Research

Strains

Discussion

We did the research so you can get informed and get better

CLINICAL A big issue I had with this refinement was my alignment. I TRIALS went back and restructured all pages to make sure all my content aligned correctly and didn’t shift when you moved from page to page. This was a painstaking but necessary CBD Our team is dedicated to bringing information step and you’ll see the results of thatyou effort in the final delivwhich easily allows you to navigate a difficult subject erable design.

Toolkit/book

Clinical trials

THC

CLINICAL TRIALS

THC

CBD

SATIVA

INDICA

HYBRIDS

Marijuana has been used madicinally for over 3000 years. Today scientists continue to study the derivatives of marijuana to see how it can help with with a wide variety of illnesses and ailments.

SATIVA

Nausea Multiple sclerosis; spasticity Anxiety Nerve pain

and empower you to make a decision.

Cancer Mental health disorders

INDICA

HYBRIDS

Dependency/Withdrawal Seizures Close

About us

Toolkit/book

Research

Toolkit/book

Research

Strains

Discussion

Rethink

We did the research so you can get informed and get better

MMI tools and resource can help you on your health journey

THC rethink

Toolkit Get talking, get connected

Sincerely, The MMI Team

...

COOPERATIVE OR DISPENSARY ’ S THE DIFFERENCE ? WHAT

Add to cart

When deciding where to access medical marijuana, you have a choice between growing your own, becoming a member at your local cooperative or simply going to a dispensary.

NOTES

The website was a great opportunity to allow my audience to order their toolkit or book. I made sure to incorporate this into my design.

MEDICAL M A R I J UA N A I N I T I AT I V E

The MMI toolkit includes instructional cards on what to ask, how marijuana can help, and where to go if you decide to try. Cooperatives

Dispensaries

o3 o2 o1

A cooperative is comprised a group of caregivers, who

A dispensary is different from a cooperative for two main

cultivate marijuana, and patients, who need marijuana.

reasons.

You have to be a member to gain access. It’s an organization First is the business model. Dispensaries are a for profit entity. WHAT SHOULD I ASK MY DOCTOR ? that merely facilitates the collaborative efforts of patient

The second is their audience. Anyone with a medical mari-

Your doctor should be including involvedthe in important your health. and caregiver members, allocation ofchoices costs regarding juana recommendation canBefore gain access to a dispensary. The beginning use anyamedical make entity, sure to ask doctor some import-because they work with a and revenues. Asof such, collectivemarijuana is not a statutory haveyour a large selection of products ant but questions. as a practical matter it might have to be organized as variety of vendors vs the cooperatives which work within the

WHAT CAN

MEDICAL

MARIJUANA HELP WITH

THC

THC stands for delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol.

www.mminitiative.com

MEDICAL MARIJUANA I N I T I AT I V E

It is probably the best known cannabinoid present in medical marijuana. Physically it acts as a muscle relaxant and an anti-inflammatory. Psychologically it acts as a stimulant. This makes medical marijuana strains high in THC a good choice for patients who need relief while also to remain alert and active. The THC in medical marijuana can help with issues like epilepcy, inflammation, depression, appetite stimulation, lowering blood pressure, adn apoptosis (self induced cell death).

CBD

SATIVA

INDICA

HYBRIDS

form of business to in carry out aremuch confines of what they canatcultivate and what vendors within • Here How marijuana should I use first? •some Can marijuana be used place of its myactivities. curthe rent highlights: their cooperatives Here are the highlights: • Have any of your patients cultivate. used marimedication?

has to help withto a be variety ofjuana conditions. Studies confirm that for for a similar condition, and what •Marijuana Are there anybeen drugused interactions I need • You only need your medical recommendation to get • You must be a member to get access theaware following a patient’s quality of life. did they experience? of? conditions, medical marijuana has improved access • Cooperatives are non profit • What strain of marijuana will help with my • Would you use marijuana to treat this con• Dispensaries are for profit Nausea • General painto the cooperative •• You may need to volunteer your time • Loss of appetite Hybrid? for yourself? Seizures •syndrome NoSativa? need toIndica? volunteer, just pay and go • Nerve pain • specific Wastingneeds? •• dition Knowledgeable vendors/patients ••

Can you rightofapatients recommendation for use of Community to connect with medical marijuana? more visit www.mminitiative.com •To learn Strong patient numbers are needed to sustain collectives

• • •

Dispensary employees have limited knowledge based on what they themselves smoke Generally no community programs Patients are mix of recreational users and real patients

WORDS

+FACES

The patients of marijuana Words + Faces is a collection of testimonials from patients and caregivers on how the use of medical marijuana impacted their lives. These powerful stories give great insight to the struggle of chronic illness and the legal risks with obtaining marijuana. Add to cart

About us

Toolkit/book

Research

Discussion

We did the research so you can get informed and get better

CBD CBD stands for cannabidiol. Cannabidiol actually has reduced the psychological effects of medical marijuana. For most patients, a strain that has high THC and high cannabidiol will have fewer “mental” effects and more physical ones. High cannabidiol medical marijuana strains, like Blueberry and Harlequin, are especially effective for illnesses with strong physical symptoms.

CLINICAL TRIALS

THC

CBD

SATIVA

INDICA

HYBRIDS

CBD’s associated benefits include reduced pain, reduced anxiety, reduced nausea, anti-convulsive, and anti-schiophrenic. Some early studies even show that it could help fight cancer cells in the body.

Design Process//WEBSITE

final My final website was a challenge because I had to go back and correct some alignment issues that I created by not following my grid as faithfully as I should have. The subtle but necessary alignment changes required me to deconstruct the entire website and rebuild it again. It was well worth the effort, but admittedly I’d do it much smarter in the future. I also added in very small lines to create a gap between the boxes in my website. This allowed for greater visual separation while still feeling like a unit. I also made some adjustments to the word mark on the about us page so it wasn’t so horsey. In the final stages, I made sure all the typesetting was working well and any grammatical issues were ironed out. I feel that the final product is a very functional and aesthetically pleasing website which acknowledges the visual system I established and creates variation within it. What you’ll see next are the flat comps and the tight comps of the website.

For my final, I adjusted the alignment on all the pages to ensure constistency. I also added a thin white gap between individual segments to create separation.

On the about us page, I reduced the size of the MMI letter mark. In a previous version it was much larger and a little too loud for the page.

Design Process//WEBSITE

Adding a thin white line between the boxes in my design really helped to make each topic stand out better.

Because I have several iterations of the research page, I had to pay very careful attention to how well aligned and consistent each element is.

I removed the underline from the buttons on the research page and just kept them bold when a user clicks into them because I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really use underlines anywhere else in my design.

I removed the underline from the labels on the buttons on the research page and just kept the lab.

Design Process//WEBSITE

Because I used the aid icon throughout my system, I continued that by making it the call to action icon on some of the clickable content, i.e. learn more and clinical trials.

Design Process//CONTENT

overview

In the United States, marijuana and the use of it has been negatively stigmatized. Marijuana has been used in a medicinal capacity over 3,000 years and only in recent history has it been outlawed and classified as a schedule 1 controlled substance in the U.S.. Those who suffer from chronic illness or ailments stand to gain the most from robust communication on the topic of medical marijuana. The goal of the Medical Marijuana Initiative, or MMI, is to provide communication solutions which help my audience to rethink medical marijuana. These solutions must be presented in a mature, illuminating, and credible format in order to reduce the noise that has tarnished the perception of marijuana in the past. MMI will achieve this by changing the way people perceive medical marijuana. It will also provide my audience tools to discuss marijuana use with their doctors. In addition, MMI will educate my audience on the science and facts surrounding marijuana and provide a place for them to discuss their concerns with other patients and caregivers. The identity and deliverables for MMI were designed to break down existing prejudices towards medical marijuana and to encourage my audience to view marijuana as a legitimate medicinal asset.

Design Process//CONTENT

resources poster series book toolkit website

101

Through the course of producing my design solutions, I utilized several resources. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to source work I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t produce myself to give credit to those that did produce it as well as protect myself from accidentally committing plagiarism. I provided photographic and informational sources for my poster series, book, toolkit, and website.

Design Process//RESOURCES

resources poster series •

PG59_http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/1957026-3x2-940x627.jpg

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PG59_ http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/11/590x/secondary/Cancer-patient-andnurse-524383.jpg

•

PG59_ http://www.mientrastantoenmexico.mx/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/marijuana-leaf.jpg

book •

COVER F/B_http://www.giveforward.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Cancer-Patient. jpg

•

SPREAD 1_http://www.thedailychronic.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/marijuana-leaf-3.jpg

•

SPREAD 2_http://stmedia.startribune.com/images/ows_1426893750889.jpg

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SPREAD 2_http://www.offthegridnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/child-hospital-bed-imgkidDOTcom.jpg

•

SPREAD 2_http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/11/590x/secondary/Cancer-patientand-nurse-524383.jpg

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SPREAD 2_http://www.cureyourowncancer.org/uploads/1/1/6/9/11695594/6281272.jpg?276

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SPREAD 2_http://www.colorlines.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_lead_normal/public/ images/articles/2011/02/quelinoojedajimenez021411.jpg?itok=2ctRnyNM

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SPREAD 3_http://stmedia.startribune.com/images/ows_1426893750889.jpg

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SPREAD 4_Top image: http://www.offthegridnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ child-hospital-bed-imgkidDOTcom.jpg

•

SPREAD 5_Bottom image: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x /56/4e/64/564e64ad528281a768905f1d892cbd93.jpg

•

SPREAD 6_http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/11/590x/secondary/Cancer-patientand-nurse-524383.jpg

•

SPREAD 7_http://www.cureyourowncancer.org/uploads/1/1/6/9/11695594/6281272.jpg?276

•

SPREAD 8_Top image: http://www.colorlines.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_lead_normal/ public/images/articles/2011/02/quelinoojedajimenez021411.jpg?itok=2ctRnyNM

•

SPREAD 8_Bottom image: https://www.scripps.org/sparkle-assets/images/hi_res_spine-andback-injury-treatment-1300x800.jpg

•

SPREAD 9_ http://www.mientrastantoenmexico.mx/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/marijuana-leaf.jpg

•

SPREAD 10_ http://wallarthd.com/imagepics/free-leaf-macro-wallpaper-background-9817.html

•

SPREAD 3-7_Testimonials: mncares.org

•

SPREAD 1+8_Dr. Gupta quotes Page 3 + 17: Altered State Exhibit, Oakland Museum of California

103

toolkit •

PG 79_https://www.anylabtestnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Oct10.jpg

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PG 79_https://az616578.vo.msecnd.net/files/2015/12/05/ 635848861697792522-96027897_weed%20in%20hands.jpg

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PG 79_http://www.mientrastantoenmexico.mx/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/marijuana-leaf.jpg

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PG 79_http://mainehealthcancer.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/hpslide_womansleeping.jpg

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PG 79_http://il5.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/14886418/thumb/1.jpg

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PG 79_http://forosdelavirgen.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/hojas-de-marihuana-fondo.jpg

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PG 79_http://unitedpatientsgroup.com

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PG 79_http://theweedbusiness.com/tag/ what-is-the-difference-between-a-medical-marijuana-dispensary-and-collective/

website •

PG 91_https://az616578.vo.msecnd.net/files/2015/12/05/ 635848861697792522-96027897_weed%20in%20hands.jpg

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PG 91_https://www.420magazine.com/gallery/data/1412/Cannabis_Plant_Hand.jpg

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PG 91_ http://www.mientrastantoenmexico.mx/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/marijuana-leaf.jpg

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PG 91_ https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/56/4e/64/564e64ad528281a768905f1d892cbd93.jpg

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PG 91_https://g.foolcdn.com/editorial/images/144656/gwph4_large.JPG

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PG 91_ http://blog.invisionedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/team-photo.jpg

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PG 91_http://il5.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/14886418/thumb/1.jpg

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Pg 91_http://www.giveforward.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Cancer-Patient.jpg

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PG 91_https://www.anylabtestnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Oct10.jpg

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PG 91_http://stmedia.startribune.com/images/ows_1426893750889.jpg

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PG 91-93_Leafly.com

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PG 91-93_http://unitedpatientsgroup. comwhat-is-the-difference-between-a-medical-marijuana-dispensary-and-collective/

monica arellano mctarellano @ gmail . com gr 620 visual thinking august 2016