Jenna Hagan,
Human-centred
Visual & Service Designer




Visualising care systems to strengthen the regional pandemic response



Visualising care systems to strengthen the regional pandemic response

In March 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated, the Northern Region District Health Boards urgently needed a way to understand how care systems were functioning under pressure. To respond effectively, a cross-functional team was assembled to map out the full patient and whānau pathway—capturing how information, decisions, and support systems were operating during Covid-19.


My Role

I led the visual design work for this project, transforming fragmented process knowledge into a clear, integrated system view. My responsibilities included creating a modular visual language, designing custom iconography, and producing swimlane-style pathway maps that could adapt to multiple scenarios. I worked closely with subject matter experts and improvement specialists to ensure accuracy and usability, while maintaining visual clarity under complex conditions.

The Opportunity

While many experts had deep knowledge of individual processes, there was no single, unified view of the patient journey. A consolidated, visual resource was needed to:

  • Make complex, fast-moving processes easier to understand
  • Support system coordination and decision-making
  • Enable rapid scenario planning as the pandemic evolved

Key Challenges

  • Time sensitivity: Delivering a high-value tool during an active pandemic
  • Complexity: Integrating diverse pathways across multiple teams and services
  • Dynamic environment: Processes were evolving daily, requiring flexibility in design
  • Clarity under pressure: Information had to be immediately understandable to clinical, operational, and leadership teams

Our Approach

We adopted a co-design process, bringing together subject matter experts, performance improvement specialists, and visual designers to create clear, adaptable pathway maps. This included developing a visual design system for consistency and rapid updates.

Key Activities Included:

  • Expert Workshops: Facilitated sessions to capture end-to-end processes from clinical and operational leaders
  • Visual System Design: Created a modular design language, including custom icons and flexible layout components
  • Pathway Mapping: Designed swimlane-style diagrams to distinguish roles, actions, and patient touchpoints
  • Scenario Development: Produced multiple pathway maps to reflect varied patient and whānau experiences during Covid-19
  • Iterative Testing: Refined designs with feedback from cross-sector stakeholders to ensure accuracy and usability

Key Outcomes

  • Shared understanding: Created a single source of truth for complex, fast-moving care processes
  • Visual clarity: A custom icon system and modular layout improved readability and engagement
  • Systems thinking: Enabled cross-sector insights and identification of improvement opportunities
  • Strategic value: Set the stage for ongoing discussions and future system enhancements

High level view of the three pathways that were mapped for this project.


Icon Library created to support the pathways very unique and specific visual needs.
The visual design language was developed which allows components like icons, colour and the boxes to be interchangeable and flexible.

Our Learnings

  • Visualisation drives alignment: Mapping made invisible system gaps visible, creating a shared mental model for all stakeholders
  • Modularity matters: A flexible visual system allowed updates as protocols changed in real time
  • Design is critical in crises: Clear communication tools are essential for decision-making under pressure

Conclusion

Mapping the Covid-19 patient and whānau pathway proved to be a crucial tool in the regional pandemic response. It provided clarity, enabled strategic conversations, and showcased how design can support health system resilience in high-stakes, rapidly evolving contexts.

Project Team:
Jenna Hagan, Visual design
Abbi Hardwood-Tobin, Programme Director, Performance Improvement

Contributers:
NRHCC IT Team
NRHCC Welfare Team
healthAlliance