Table 1 Information and Information Architecture Issues and Solutions
From: Evidence-based patient choice: a prostate cancer decision aid in plain language
Concern | Solution |
|---|---|
Complex information | • Organize and structure document for ease of understanding and use, including use of summary tables |
|  | • Create affective appeal using individual vignettes |
|  | • Describe all elements of treatment process patients experience |
Engage the reader in the social context | • Use pictures captioned with comments from men of varying ethnicities |
|  | • Suggest connection with trusted others and other patients |
|  | • Recognize and address feelings of fear |
No mandatory autonomy | • Suggest that decisions may be made by the patient or delegated to the doctor, or trusted individual. |
|  | • Suggest shared decision making is compatible with keeping or delegating |
Anticipate cultural issues | • African Americans are likely to be sensitive to potential to withhold treatment in the name of watchful waiting. |
|  | • African Americans frequently are diagnosed with more severe disease relative to whites. |
|  | • Sources of authoritative advice vary among ethnic groups. These can be acknowledged subtly in text |
Translate medical words, but do not eliminate technical information | • Define words and include a glossary |
Creating/choosing appropriate pictures | • Simplify anatomical drawings to include only necessary visual information |
|  | • Include realistic picture of torso, with head included to provide conceptual context |
|  | • Include photographs of men who look serious, but not devastated |
Graphic Design and Layout: Use evidence-based document design principles | • Spacing to emphasize different points and topic changes |
|  | • Wide margins to make text less dense |
|  | • Adequate page size to keep information on a topic on one page |
|  | • Graphic design that draws the reader through the booklet |
|  | • Text design that keeps related information in close proximity |
Plain language | • Use conversational words and sentence structure, even if not standard grammar |
|  | • Keep the writing tight. Eliminate unnecessary words. |
|  | • Keep the tone friendly and personal, speaking directly to the reader. |
|  | • Explain technical language even though it adds words. Assumptions behind technical words must be included |
|  | • Make scientific references available on the website, but do not include in the text |