From overwhelming to actionable: Bringing lifestyle guidance to life

Click and drag the slider below to see a before-and-after example

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In the UK, 43% of adults find written health information hard to understand. In this series, we’re shining a light on how clear communication can change patient materials for the better. At Cuttsy+Cuttsy, we believe that when patients can find, understand, and use health information, they’re empowered to take control of their health journey. That’s why we weave the principles of health literacy into everything we do.

Our before-and-after examples demonstrate the impact of simple changes in language, structure, and design. Just click and drag the slider to see the difference.

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Before:

Lifestyle and dietary guidance for patients was presented as a plain, long paragraphs and sentences.

After:

We reworked the content into distinct categories (“more”, “less” “avoid”), trimmed all but the need to know information, and split longer lists of examples into bullets. The result is clear, direct, actionable guidance.

Each category is supported with illustrations, providing a visual summary of the key information, helping to serve as stronger reminders. More subtly, the considered use of empty space on the page helps the guidance feel simpler and less intimidating, too.

Clear, actionable guidance, with visual reminders, supports better understanding and adherence. Which is what health literacy is all about.