The idea stemmed from the Understanding Social Determinants of COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Working Group. The working group identified a need for clear testing instructions and proposed creating a how-to video about at-home COVID-19 testing that would be accessible to all populations.

The team set out to design the best possible at-home test demonstration video. They wanted to create a clear and accurate tool informed by communities and could be translated easily into any language.

Designers worked diligently to strike the right balance between casual and serious, conversational and formal language to set the right tone.

The RADx-UP Testing Core diagnostic experts provided technical expertise to assure accuracy of testing instructions and interpretation of results.

The working group co-chair and lead data scientist, Ann-Marie Akiwumi, explained how the videos were developed using a human-centered design approach.

The working group, which represented vital community perspectives, was engaged from the very beginning.

“Rather than starting with the research angle, we started with the end users as the focus,” she said. “Then we made edits to meet the science and policy requirements.”

Akiwumi emphasized how crucial it was for the videos to be translatable and universally representative.

“We are targeting a unique group of historically underserved populations, but they are diverse, so we wanted a video with relevance to all,” she said.

Lead designer Kelly Anne Johnson described the videos as a demonstration and highlighted the first-person perspective as crucial. She also noted the thoughtful graphic design elements and the use of individual, discrete steps.

“Something we noticed about existing videos is that they were not articulating nor were they showing how to actually do the test. There was a lot of talking about it,” Johnson said. “These videos show how to actually do the test and read results.”

These videos work to serve the overarching goal of reducing testing disparities, explained Barrie Harper, senior operations leader of the RADx-UP Testing Core. She said they were designed with underserved populations at the center.

“Videos are often designed for the broader population, and there are aspects that do not resonate with underserved communities, including the RADx-UP populations we serve,” she said. “

Principal consultant Lee Thompson said that developing and maintaining trust among underserved populations is as equally important as providing clear and accurate information. The videos emphasize the importance of accurate testing to keep communities and families safe.

“This video was intentionally designed to support communities who have historically been harmed, excluded or misled by clinical research, so this video is about providing clear instructions but also to create some trust,” Thompson said.

The videos were developed with the hope that they can be easily modified and translated to engage with other test manufacturers in the future.

The videos are based on instructions for adults ages 14 and older. One video has been adopted for pediatric populations ages two and older.