U.S. Opioid Rates

As the Visual Designer for this CDC animated data story on U.S. opioid dispensing rates, I approached the project as both an information tool and a narrative experience. The challenge was to translate over a decade of raw prescription data into a format that could be quickly understood, trusted, and acted upon by diverse audiences—policymakers, healthcare professionals, and the public. By animating state-by-state changes from 2006 to 2020, I created a dynamic story that allows viewers to not just see numbers, but to feel the weight of the crisis and the progress made over time.

My role required balancing clarity, authority, and accessibility. I designed a color-coded system that moves from light yellow to deep red, creating immediate visual contrast between low and high dispensing rates. The animation’s timeline flow gives context and rhythm, showing how patterns shift year to year, while keeping the focus on the broader story of improvement. Supporting elements—like a clean legend, bold framing text, and the CDC’s trusted branding—anchor the design in credibility.

Ultimately, this piece became more than a map. It is a visual narrative of change, empowering viewers to connect data with real-world impact, while reinforcing CDC’s mission to combat the opioid epidemic.

  • Client: CDC Overdose Prevention Team
  • Role: Visual Design, Layout, Illustration, Motion Graphics
  • Tools: Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator
  • Deliverable: Animated U.S. graphic
U.S. Opioid Rate

The primary audience for this visualization is policymakers, public health professionals, and the general public seeking to understand trends in opioid dispensing across the U.S. The goal was to transform complex, longitudinal data into a clear, compelling narrative that not only shows the severity of the opioid crisis but also highlights progress over time. By animating the data from 2006 to 2020, the design encourages viewers to see change dynamically, making patterns of improvement—or areas of concern—immediately visible.

The strategy centered on color-coded storytelling. I used a gradient from light yellow to deep red, symbolizing escalating severity, so viewers could instantly interpret risk levels. The animated timeline works as a progressive scan, guiding the eye across years while reinforcing the narrative of improvement. Typography was kept bold and minimal (“How have rates improved over time?”) to frame the story without distraction. The design balances accessibility with authority—pairing warm, attention-grabbing colors with the CDC’s branding to ensure credibility and trust.

The visualization is structured in three key components:

  1. Main U.S. Map: The focal point, where state-level data is displayed with color intensity for quick comprehension.
  2. Timeline Animation (2006–2020): Anchors the progression, providing temporal context so users can connect visual changes with policy or awareness milestones.
  3. Legend & Brand Marks: Positioned for quick reference, the legend defines the thresholds, while CDC branding ensures authority and data trustworthiness. Insets of Alaska and Hawaii maintain geographic inclusivity.

The result is a data-driven story in motion that transforms raw statistics into a digestible, engaging, and emotionally resonant experience. Viewers can instantly grasp the scale of the crisis in 2006 and track meaningful reductions by 2020. For public health communicators, this tool simplifies complex data into a persuasive narrative, encouraging informed decision-making and reinforcing the CDC’s leadership in addressing the opioid epidemic. The impact lies not just in what the data shows, but in how the design empowers understanding at a glance.

U.S. Opioid Rates