Wicked Problems in Pittsburgh
Brand Identity, Creative Direction, Project Manager
Adolescent depression has been on the rise. It’s not just a one sided issue, many factors have come together to create the problem we have today. In order to even begin addressing this issue, we first have to understand what factors are contributing to adolescent depression, as well as any challenges that may stand in our way.
Role
Research and Data Visualization
Timeline
3 Weeks
Tools
Figma, Illustrator, Miro
With
Yuer Zhu, Jasmin Palermo, Saumeya Suseenthiran
Overview
1 in 12 High Schoolers attempted suicide in 2021 in Western Pennsylvania
Everyone experiences moments of sadness during hardships in their life. However, depression is different, as it is characterized by longer and deeper feelings of despondency. When this disorder affects adolescents, these young individuals may fail to live up to their potential, leading to withdrawal from friends and family, a drop in their performance at school, or the use of alcohol or drugs. But in severe cases, depression can be life-threatening, with suicide as a possible outcome. This is especially damaging in Western Pennsylvania, given that about 1 in 12 high schoolers in PA attempted suicide in 2021.
My Role
Visualizing information and proposing solutions across local and government levels
Depression is such a multifaceted issue that isn’t something that both societal pressures and personal circumstances can contribute to. For this project I worked on developing a system for easily conveying information across different scales, domains, and stakeholders.
Visualizing the research also helped us be able to identify potential intervention points to better support adolescents.
Ultimately, the adolescents that are embedded within this wicked problem deserve to live up to their full potential and deserve to be backed up by a system designed for them to succeed.