Project's Brief
A focus group of clinicians, researchers, decision-makers and patient representatives from Australia and Canada discussed key issues related to accessing medical cannabis for chronic pain. Despite differing historical and regulatory contexts, common challenges and possible solutions were raised. The needs and common issues relating to the ‘current state' in each country are represented an infographic digital poster and include suggestions for improving the overall system of care for patients living with chronic pain, for whom medical cannabis is of possible benefit.
Focus Group and Data Collection:
After the focus group session, I transformed my notes into categories, and proof read the recorded transaction and filled the gaps. I created 3 categories to structure a system where I could compare between the Canadian and Australian systems in accessing CBD. Following up with my clients, we met to discuss the analyses data. Gaps were identifies as possible focus points.
Journey Mapping
Even though the purpose of this project is to show the overall system and not focus specifically on the patients' journeys, I decided to layout how could a patient fall out of accessing CBD to help imagine the bigger picture and ask more questions to clarify unidentified data.
Mapping out data
Pointing out the main focused points and connecting them together to structure and visualize how one point leans and affects the other one.
The loops were later confirmed with the clients to make sure that there wasn't any info (system dynamics) missing out of the focus group
System Map Aim
The system map aims to highlight the patients' journey in accessing CBD in Canada and Australia in a storytelling style. Such storytelling style aims to make the viewer more aware that the challenges are not only a part of the journey that could be situationally fixed; rather, the challenge lies within the system itself. The system's essence stands on the common challenges that patients, caregivers and physicians face, such as limited or missing education, awareness, communications, stigma and dosages.
The Metaphor
After several metaphors and storytelling techniques, I came across the symbol of 2 cities sharing the same atmosphere but on two different lands. Each land represents the CBD services overview. In order to move from one city to another, you need to cross a bridge full of challenges for both patients and physicians. Some patients drop the process and access cannabis from illegal or unauthorized places offering low-quality or unmonitored dosages. Some become aware of the possible consiquences and climb back to access the bridge.
Story Time!
The Map is divided both vertically and horizontally. I am expressing the story by dividing them horizontally first (Part 1 and Part 2), then combining it vertically in the overview.
Part 1:
Part 1 expresses the vision of two cities connected by a bridge of obstacles, challenges and errors. It also highlights helping objects such as helicopters, sun rays, clouds, buildings and nature to give depth to the story.
1. The cliff on the left symbolizes a small town offering limited services, education and awareness of CBD for patients, caregivers and physicians. The Patient has to access the clinic that will introduce the concept of accessing CBD and provide information and sense of direction.
2. The bridge symbolizes the patients' and physicians' journeys and experiences. Even though both parties walk on the same path, each has a different end goal. The patient's goal is to access CBD, while the physician's goal is to figure out the administrative process. Moreover, both experience common challenges and influence one another to move forward. Missing or damaged steps represent the unpredictability, hardship and uncertainty of accessing the CBD system.
3. The cliff on the right represents a developing town, which continuously updates and provides CBD recourses that could deliver a better experience for physicians, patients and caregivers.
4. Helicopters represent how new discoveries or conducted data travel from the research center in the city on the right to the other city and vis versa. The data travel as a form of awareness and education, highlighting the changes on both sides. The helicopters have a designated landing area in each city. The construction site symbolizes that the research is ongoing and the system is consistently being updated.
5. The city's landscape on the left does not have enough variation as the other. This represent that The CBD system is not being taken care of, and the majority of the community is not accepting it. On the other hand (the city on the right), community members who are digging and planting represent scientists who are analyzing and discovering the quality of cannabis and its dosage and sending it to the research center for testing rounds.
6. The sun rays represent the coordinated, evidence-informed system that shines on the city on the right. The rays act awareness that reaches the community in every corner to not only create a solid system but also effecting to reduce the stigma of taking cannabis. Unfortunately, the rays doesn't fully reach the other city as it is mostly covered with grey clouds from the volcano. Nonetheless, the other city still gets some light (limited).
Part 2:
Part 2 idealizes the fact that the system can't work without solid ground and that every member, policy maker, distributor, seller, medical professional, caregiver and patient is what makes the system work. It also shows the choas, gaps and improvements that take place in struggling to access CBD.
7. The volcano between the two cities near the water symbolizes cannabis black market and how it harms the environment or the public as the quality is not monitored, nor the quantity given is based on evidence. Moreover, it creates stigma and false shared information. People could access it easily by just ordering online, then picking it up or opting for the delivery option. Others go on a more dangerous route to access it.
8. Canoe paddlers are individuals (patients) or individuals with caregivers of different ages. These are individuals for who the system failed them due to a variety of reasons. Some find luck in accessing high-quality cannabis, and some experience serious effects. The canoes don't only act as mobile but also represent the life quality of the paddlers. (1) Some canoes are damaged due to the unsuccessful experiences and side effects, (2) some tried to access the black market but were not confident of the reliability and left, and (3) others are still enjoying the unmonitored cannabis effect because they did not experience any side affects yet.
9. Alog the journey between the two cities, some patients find it difficult to navigate, find their way or other external factors as giving up. They decide to drop in the middle and access the black market for a faster relief.
9. Climbers are patients who accessed cannabis from the black market and then came to the realization that this is not the most suitable option. They want to access the CBD system and be monitored by a physician. They go through challenges and rough rules along the way. They climb on the cliff of the city on the left to start the journey from the beginning.
10. Observers (on the bottom middle of the right cliff) are health professionals, policymakers and students who are studying the system and trying to analyze the challenges the public face while accessing CBD. The latter represents the authority to update the research center with what is happening so they can prepare for upcoming challenges or conflicts.
Overview
Each city and pond has its own system within the overall atmosphere system. This is how complicated to access CBD, especially when the challenges are high. Even though the city on the left is considered rigid and its system offers limited services, there is no denying that this is the route to access the CBD system and reach the other city. We also can't deny the fact that even though the cities have different services, communities and Information, they complete one another. None of them is perfect. The city on the right is constructed on an evidence-based system; however, there is only one way to access it, which makes research limited. The pond between the cities is a common area influences each city, whether directly or not. In conclusion, fixing the system by just suggesting protocols won't resolve the challenges. Designing a system that will accompany all current and possible challenges while working on raising community awareness and physicians' education might make both physicians' and patients' journeys less challenging. Moreover, it benefits the caregivers quality time with their loved ones (patients) and might contribute in decreasing the stigma in communities.
(Individual-Work-Project)