Laura East's Portfolio
This body of work highlights select design, research, writing, and multimedia project examples that I have led, developed independently, and contributed to as part of a creative team. 'Read/See More' buttons link out to external resources for more information on individual projects.
Human-Centered Design Research & Strategy
Oral Health is Health (OH2) Teledentistry Platform Prototype
REI Adventures Booking Feature
REI Adventures Booking Feature Usability
Conducted usability study for REI Adventures to evaluate their existing desktop booking features and identify actionable feedback to optimize user experience and increase rate of successful purchases. I assessed REI Adventures site as part of a hueristic analysis, developed series of scenarios and tasks, and moderated user experience evaluations. Presented design recommendations to interdisciplinary team at REI.
OH2 Virtual Health Platform Prototype
Oral Health is Health (OH2) is an integrated virtual health and wellness platform designed to support behavior change and provide community, connection, and care for older adults with diabetes. Designed based on ethnographic research and competitive analysis in partnership with Philips Oral HealthCare as capstone sponsors. I designed logo and style guide, led user interviews, contributed to wireframe and prototype development, and oversaw project management and content production.
Stutt Ferð Design Prototype - Relax, Restore, and Rejuvinate at Keflavik airport, in Reykjavik, Iceland
Stutt Ferð was my team's response to design challenge to create a culturally-relevant vending machine for a country outside the United States. This interactive presentation guides the audience through the user interface and experience of a relaxation vestibule at the busy international airport hub in Reykjavik, Iceland. To inform our design, we conducted desk research, evaluated cultural dimensions, and implemented a user experience survey. I designed the experiential elements of our prototype presentation (pp. 14-18).
I See You VR Prototype - Logo and Process Book Design
"I See You" is a virtual reality experience designed to build empathy and improve communication between cyclists and drivers. For a User-Centered Design course, this process book documents my four-person design team's approach to user research, ideation, and development of a functioning VR-prototype (view.iseeyouseattle.com). An entirely collaborative project, I developed the concept for the logo design and surrounding communications campaign. I drafted our design principles, and adapted vector images to create original VR icons shown on page 9.
Production & Creative Direction
Kulwa’ Story
Co-wrote, designed, and produced illustrations and accompanying social media campaign to share a survivor’s story of racist and sexist assault to support healing and the protection of Black womxn.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Women's Movement Launch
When the Gates Foundation announced their $20M investment in women's movements, our team created the #HowEqualityHappens social media campaign for partner amplification. I worked with our graphic designer to create a visual concept for a series of images, GIFs, and associated toolkit encouraging influencers and organizations to share content organically via Facebook and Twitter. As the account lead and creative director, I proposed the idea for incorporating illustrated elements in still photography and worked with designer to iterate and animate into short GIF videos, which served as overall look and feel for the campaign. The #HowEqualityHappens hashtag reached 35M people, including tweets from Emma Watson (2.6M followers).
Illustrating Impact: Bringing Stories and Power of Women’s Movements to Life
To tell the powerful stories of women's movements and their leaders, we worked with the Gate's Foundation Gender Equality team to engage Kruttika Susarla, an independent illustrator based in New Delhi, India. I served as creative director and worked with Kruttika to co-create a series of comics to bring to life the stories of three women's movement leaders. To craft the storyboards, Kruttika used a briefing book I drafted following in-depth interviews with women's movement leaders in India and Tanzania. Melinda Gates posted the GIF of Subarna Ghosh, who advocated for unnecessary c-sections, during Women's History Month in 2018.
Writing
PATH Blog: Our Shop Built a "Period Piece" Designed to Bust Menstrual Taboos
To illuminate the the need for more menstrual health options, I collaborated with the PATH product development shop to create a chandelier made out of menstrual cups. We brought what we dubbed 'SheChandelier' to hang in PATH's booth at the Women Deliver conference. I co-authored this blog about the development of this idea and how the #SheChandelier facilitated a dialogue about menstruation, a topic rarely discussed.
Designing Happiness: Do as the Danes Do
In 2016, I managed PATH's event marketing presence and sponsorship at the Women Deliver conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since then, I have been increasingly interested in the intrinsic beauty of Danish design. This post explores the relationship between Danish design and dimensions of health and happiness within the national and regional culture as compared to the United States. Adapted from the final paper I wrote for my International User Experience and Communication course completed Fall 2018.
Events & Advocacy
“Female Condoms Are_”: Bringing Local Voices to Decision-Makers through a Film Contest
My team developed an international film contest to raise awareness for female condoms as an important dual protection option. We received nearly 30 short films from 12 countries. Entries ranged from humorous exchanges on the value of condoms to thought-provoking examples of how woman-initiated protection can be vital for health and well-being. I co-authored an article in "Reproductive Health Matters" peer-reviewed journal to highlight the contest films as important vehicles for advocacy with policymakers and other stakeholders.
Dance4Demand: Flash Mob for Global Female Condom Day
In 2014, in observance of Global Female Condom Day (September 16), PATH and a coaliation of partners invited advocates to 'Dance4Demand' in the name of female condom advocacy. I organized a flash mob in Seattle, covered by The Seattle Times, where more than 30 people participated in a choreographed dance in South Lake Union. Individuals and groups around the world organized similar events and danced to the original song "Rise," by local artist Shaprese, which I commissioned and helped to compose. Click 'Read More' to see compilation video of this international advocacy campaign.