Nail Wise (project in progress)
Project Description
This project is innovative in that it addresses workplace health and safety for a marginalized population within a very specific workplace context. Present resources available to nail technicians include workbooks, pamphlets, and English-language videos of workers’ experiences. Workers do not currently have access to a multilingual digital platform that uses scientific storytelling to communicate health and safety protocols. This project will bring the iterative design techniques of visual biomedical communication to a target audience that has not, to our knowledge, been addressed in this way—while considering the complex cultural, racial, and labour dynamics specific to discount nail salons in Canada. This project could provide a framework for medical illustrators to educate and assist in health literacy for immigrant workers.
Date 2024
Advisors Dr Shelley Wall, Dr Victoria Arrandale
Audience Nail Technicians
Tools Figma, Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro
Format Mobile Scrollytelling Website
Goals and Objectives
We aim to engage nail salon workers in prevention and protection when faced with a potential workplace hazard.
1. Create an accessible tool that educates nail technicians on the risks of working in a nail salon while empowering them to advocate for necessary occupational health and safety practices.
2. Determine what medium and level of information will be the most effective for communicating occupational health and safety risks
3. Discover the most appropriate character design, narrative structure, and scientific storytelling that will accurately represent the lived experience of nail technicians, and may be used to engage the target audience.
