Take The Piss

New Zealand has a cultural script that tells young men to ‘man up’ or to ‘be a man’. Men who endorse this belief are less likely to seek preventative health care and more likely to delay medical care. This carries over to sexual health where annual testing rates across all age groups are much lower in men. How might human-centred design encourage a proactive mindset and enable young New Zealand men to get regular check-ups or to find information about sexual health? Take The Piss system has three touchpoints. The first is stickers and posters placed above urinals and around toilet stalls, confronting the audience about STI checks. The second touchpoints are on-campus bathroom self-test sites, enabling young men to check for STIs in private. The user goes into a self-test cubicle, reads the instructions and takes a test cup from the dispenser. He urinates into the test cup and seals the lid. Finally, the take-away label with a test-specific number (which links to the website) is removed and retained, and the test cup is placed in a secure drop box. The whole process takes place inside the cubicle. Samples are subsequently collected by the on-campus health service. The website is the third touchpoint. Firstly, men can follow up from their tests, logging personal details and answering questions that they would be asked at a clinic so that the test can be processed accurately. After the results are returned, they can book a further test or see a doctor if test results are not favourable. There is also an educational section about different STIs and how to treat them. Red Dot Award: Design Concept | Concept | Service Design