Success factors in value communication design – Layering Information
Gijs Hubben presents part three of 'Success factors in value communication design', a set of articles that examines the key success factors in creating customer engagement tools that effectively communicate the clinical and economic benefits of pharmaceuticals, devices and diagnostics.
(Continued from "Success factors in value communication design – telling the story")
Telling the Story
Storytelling is an art and a science. The best storytellers engage the audience on both the intellectual and the aesthetic level, charming and convincing at the same time.
In the field of value communication, the same principles are at work. HEOR data and the claims that they support are often quite dry and academic. It's important to present this information in a visual and attractive way, using compelling tools that are intuitive and immediately accessible.
This means, rather than spreadsheets and paragraphs of text, the best instances of value communication will use dynamic charts and infographics.
Apart from the art, there is the science. Studies suggest that the average adult's attention span drops off after about 10 minutes of concentration. Moreover, busy payers and healthcare providers are often unable to spare longer than this for a meeting with a key account manager.
With a lot of information available and a limited timeframe in which to communicate, it's important to avoid trying to tell a linear story that touches on every aspect of the story and gives equal weighting to each point. Not all elements are of equal importance to a particular payer or healthcare provider, and this should be reflected in the structure of the story.
The principle of layering is the third factor of successful value communication. Arguments ought to be structured in a logical and rational way, with the most important points forming the backbone of the value story.
This top-layer is made up of the key elements of your value story. The more detailed information is available on separate layers, with markers at each point in the story indicating where there is more information available. If a client or the context of a discussion calls for it, key account managers may move to 'deeper' layers of information at one or more points in the story, often to provide evidential support or enhance credibility by drawing upon references.
In the context of a BaseCase app, These separate layers can take the form of pop-ups or 'background' pages, where you can place supporting information to support the main value story, ready to be called upon should the client ask for it.
Layering information in this way means that a presentation can be shorter and more targeted. There remains the question of how to divide up the information between the layers. What is the best way of structuring the value story? Before starting the implementation of any app, it's important to take time to shape the high level value story you want to tell. Defining your value story is the most important part of the process (see part two of this series).
Once you have a good 'version one' ready, the best way to find out is to let your audience be the judge. This success factor is addressed in the final part of the series: Testing & Evaluation.
The final article in this series will be published on 3rd January.
About the author:
Gijs Hubben is a health economist and one of the founders of BaseCase. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, including on the cost-effectiveness of infectious disease interventions, and screening strategies for hospital acquired infections. With a strong background in pharmacy, health economics and emerging technologies, Gijs's understanding of the intersection of these disciplines lies behind the unique service offered by BaseCase.
Do you use dynamic charts and infographics in your value communication?