Visual Notes and Portrait Drawing for Kings Health Partners and Genomics England
Objective:
Get
Medical researchers specialising in sickle cell
To
Adopt a more inclusive, empathetic and effective approach to communication and research practices
Who
Communicate with patients, carers and the wider sickle cell community
By
Providing a visual guide based on consultations with patient voice groups that highlighted real experiences, challenges and solutions.
Process:
People with Sickle Cell
Chat
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Carers
Researchers
1. Attended community consultations with patient voice groups from King's Health Partners and Genomics England to capture visual summaries of the key points live.
2. Developed visual notes with feedback from the client and patient voice groups.
3. Presented the resource at an in-person event and drew portraits of those who contributed to the project.
Solution:
Dr Michelle Peter
Senior Social Scientist | THIS Institute Research Fellow
Testimonials
Working with Lizzie was an absolute pleasure from beginning to end. I had never worked with a visual illustrator before, and in all honesty, I wondered how exactly it would work in the context of our project, but I needn't have worried. Lizzie made the entire process feel natural and brought such warmth, creativity, and professionalism to everything she did. From our very first interaction, it was clear that she genuinely cared about the work we were doing and about the people involved and by the end it felt as if she was a part of the team!
I was impressed by Lizzie's previous illustration work. Her ability to take complex ideas and translate them into visually engaging images stood out immediately. For our project which focused on the importance of researchers engaging with patient groups when conducting sickle cell research, this skill was invaluable. We needed someone who could sensitively and effectively communicate the voices and experiences of the people involved, and Lizzie did this beautifully. It was also important for the group members to feel a sense of relatability and trust with anyone external observing such sensitive discussions. Lizzie's positive energy helped create a collaborative and welcoming environment where everyone felt comfortable and valued.
Lizzie went above and beyond in every way. The original goal was to visually capture the essence of our discussions, but her illustrations not only reflected our key findings, they also added depth and nuance. She was incredibly open to feedback and was always willing to refine her work to ensure it truly aligned with what we were trying to express.
On the final day, during our event where we shared the outcomes of the study, Lizzie illustrated portraits of attendees which was such a personal touch that made the experience even more memorable for everyone there.
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​Without hesitation, I would recommend Lizzie to anyone looking for a talented and deeply collaborative artist. She brings so much more to a project than just her illustration skills. Her ability to connect with people and translate ideas into art is brilliant. I hope this won’t be the last time that I get to work with her!
Bemnet Teferi
Delivery Manager | Genomics England
As Genomics England commissioned this project with KHP, I can attest to a great overall experience and excellent work delivered. Absolutely, I would recommend your services based on the positive outcomes achieved. The final illustrations were well-captured and offered a creative way of disseminating the findings. From my perspective, the process was very well-managed.
Natasha Gordon
Advisory Board Member for Genomics England’s Diverse Data Initiative | Serving as Patient Voice
Working with Lizzie was absolutely wonderful and seamless. Lizzie was very attentive and both empathetic and sympathetic to the goals of the project. Lizzie joined a project that was dealing with very sensitive issues which require a delicate approach, and Lizzie was very understanding and the topics addressed were translated fantastically in her work.
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Lizzie had previous experience working with patient groups after speaking with her she wanted to ensure that the patient group were comfortable and willing to help in any way possible.
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The target brief was definitely met and even more so. The great thing about Lizzie is that she understood what we were trying to achieve and provided ways in which her work could and would support it. Having an external person in a patient group that was discussing personal experiences and at times very sensitive topics, is very difficult for both parties.
The patient needs to feel that they can trust them to not only depict their experiences in a sensitive way but also trust that the person isn’t going to then take that information out of the group. Confidentiality matters and Lizzie demonstrated both sensitivity and confidentiality in abundance.
Lizzie provided extra visuals to our project that allowed the patients to have a keepsake at the end of the project. A beautiful reminder of the importance of their contribution made to the project.
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I would definitely recommend Lizzie’s services to anyone/organisation. Lizzie wow professional but at the same time very warming and respectful. She translated our conversations in a clear and honest way that allows anyone to understand the framework we wanted to produce.