In 2015, the new Health Director of the Detroit Health Department approached me after he used a number of my data visuals and maps in his budget presentation to City Council. I joined the department in early 2016 and was soon named the Data and Design Coordinator to improve the department’s use of data and communications with data. I brought a deep interest in data visualization as well as a wealth of experience designing informational materials to promote health literacy and data literacy.
Controversially, I was asked to make the newly designed city logo blue in color. The Fire Department logo is red, Police Department used a completely different logo, so why not. Our partners locally and around the world use blue to signify health. I create a complete visual language for the Detroit Health Department for reports, social media, charts, and maps with unified color schemes and visual themes.
My primary push was for the logo to incorporate the “public health” shield and cross (black and white logo example), but that never went anywhere.
Date
2016-2017
Client
Detroit Health Department (Employer)
Alex B. Hill 