WHO ARE THE ANTI-VAXXERS?

Data Vizualization poster and video

DATA VISUALIZATION | MOTION | PRINT 

Problem: The subject of vaccination remains a very hot and controversial topic in modern society. There are no people who are indifferent: people are either fiercely pro or against vaccines.

Challenge: Present a complex heated issue in a digestible, approachable, and unbiased manner.

Solution: Our objective was to research the anti-vaccination movement and understand the cornerstones of anti-vaxxers' beliefs system. We focused on conveying the idea of who the anti-vaxxers are, their demographic, psychographic, and geographic characteristics. We decided to present this information in a light-hearted unbiased manner and to use oversize print infographics poster as well as a narrated video as means to do this. 

My role: Research, Information Architecture, Data Vizualization, Typography and Layout, Illustrations, Motion Graphics, Copy-writing.  

Tools: AfterEffects, InDesign, Illustrator

Timeline: 6 weeks

Collaborators: Tracey Nguyen, Michael Woody

Content overview: This infographics poster presents the information on the complex issue of anti-vaccination in the United States. It encompasses such facets of the problem as the controversy of the matter, the emergence of the anti-vaccination movement, the archetypes and profiles of the anti-vaxxers, their geographical location, as well as the correlation between MMR vaccine and measles cases in the United States throughout the last couple of decades.

Design choice: When choosing our color palette, illustrations style and typefaces, we gravitated towards neutral or even light-hearted and cheerful choices. With this poster we wanted to encourage the understanding of the topic and the eagerness to view a problem from a different angle.

Summary of the problem: The first part of the infographics poster serves as an introduction to the topic and focuses on the controversy of vaccination as a whole. It shows how this matter is approached from two opposite standpoints – individual and governmental.

Archetypes and profiles: A big part of this data visualization project was understanding who the anti-vaxxers were, their belief systems and concerns. We distilled our research to five archetypes that represent beliefs typical to this group of people. We also developed a set of icons to represent each archetype, which we use consistently both in print and video.

Once we defined the archetypes, we narrowed our research down to their profiles. These represent real people who are assigned a real quote, which summarizes their fears and concerns. When creating a set of illustrative portraits for the profiles, we wanted to make sure they looked cohesive and neutral.

Geography: Throughout our research, we kept noticing that certain archetypes are more typical for certain geographical locations. We decided to dive into the matter and map the archetypes’ hotspot around the country. We also singled out two different ecosystems. One of them shows the concentration of people who prefer all-natural way of living, the other shows the cluster of people who oppose to vaccines due to their  religious beliefs.

Timeline:  The timeline graph presents the correlation between MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine and the cases of measles in the US throughout the past two decades. Along the timeline, the viewer can find  the most influential events and publications either supporting anti-vaccination movement or opposing it. The objective of this graph is to showcase how the shifts in public opinion affected the dynamics of the disease itself.

About the video:  As the print version was created first, we faced a big challenge of translating a lot of data into a fast-paced two-minute video. The challenge was to present an expansive topic in a clear, concise, and objective manner. 

To make sure our video is informative and at the same time does not overwhelm our viewers, we implemented engaging animation, enthusiastic voiceover and subtle light-hearted music at the background.

PROCESS

Style and tone:  In order to present information in a neutral way,  we chose to stick to a soft color palette of the greens and blues, while an occasional pop of red and orange serves the purpose of drawing viewers' attention to the poster and guiding them through it. The airy look of Raleway and a friendly nature of Proxima Nova allowed us to carry an approachable feel throughout the whole poster and the video. 

wireframe of the poster

assets created for the project