Next Steps
Next Steps
Designing a practical response to a gap in dementia care
THE CHALLENGE
How do you make uncertainty easier to navigate?
Having previously supported the Dementia Change Action Network with their messaging and brand development, we were asked to help solve a more specific challenge: how to support people during the often lengthy wait between an initial GP visit and a memory assessment.
During this time, people are often left without clear guidance on what happens next – creating confusion, anxiety and, in many cases, inaction.
For DCAN, the challenge was to respond to this gap in a way that was clear, accessible and genuinely useful. Existing information was fragmented and often clinical in tone, with little focus on the immediate, practical questions people face while waiting. There was no clear model for how to translate complex processes into simple, actionable guidance.
THE CHALLENGE
How do you make uncertainty easier to navigate?
Having previously supported the Dementia Change Action Network with their messaging and brand development, we were asked to help solve a more specific challenge: how to support people during the often lengthy wait between an initial GP visit and a memory assessment.
During this time, people are often left without clear guidance on what happens next – creating confusion, anxiety and, in many cases, inaction.
For DCAN, the challenge was to respond to this gap in a way that was clear, accessible and genuinely useful. Existing information was fragmented and often clinical in tone, with little focus on the immediate, practical questions people face while waiting. There was no clear model for how to translate complex processes into simple, actionable guidance.
The approach
Define the response
We proposed creating a dedicated website – called Next Steps – focused on what people need to know and do while waiting for a diagnosis. Alongside this, we identified routes to get the resource in front of people at the right moment, including integration with NHS services.
Simplify the information
We developed Next Steps around a clear three-step structure, designed to reduce overwhelm and guide people through this uncertain period. Each step focused on a distinct need: understanding the diagnosis process, managing day-to-day uncertainty, and accessing available support.
Translate complexity into clarity
We structured complex clinical processes into clear, actionable guidance, translating specialist input into plain English with a calm, reassuring tone of voice.
Design for real use
The resource was designed to be easy to navigate and use in moments of stress, giving people clear, practical guidance without adding to the sense of overwhelm.
What we delivered
- Refreshed visual identity and expanded colour palette
- Co-produced photography library
- Redesigned TLAP’s main website and developed structured learning hubs
- Built the Making It Real website to support practitioners implementing personalised care
- A range of practical resources for use by local authorities and practitioners, including the popular ‘Understanding Direct Payments’ learning series
- Social media templates and campaigns
- Report and publication templates
What we delivered
- Messaging framework and strategic positioning
- Concept development for Next Steps
- Website structure and user journey
- Website design and build
- Copywriting and content development
- Downloadable guides and support resources
- NHS referral pathway and adoption support
Trusted by the NHS since 2020
Since 2020, Next Steps has been used by NHS services to support thousands of people waiting for a memory assessment – providing clear guidance during one of the most uncertain points in the dementia diagnosis journey.
“HopeWorks’ ability to mix a strategic mind with first-rate design with excellent copy is a rare mix. And their astute grasp of my field – personalisation and dementia – gives their input an added dimension.”
IAN MCCREATH,
THINK LOCAL ACT PERSONAL