Names - version 2

Summary 

In my extension, I wanted to collect and present stories on cultural heritage on a digital platform and evaluate how that might lessen cultural gaps between 1st generation immigrants.

Instructions

Click on a name to hear the story and meaning behind it. Click on the name again to stop playing the audio.

Some names will have white dots surrounding it.  Click on these dots to hear what the speaker thinks about another's name.  A blue line will animate out to lead you to the name in question. 

Click and drag empty space to move around.

Scroll in and out to zoom in and out of the space. 

Project Analysis

Participants play-tested the previous project, Names, and gave me their thoughts on the names they listened to. I recorded and organised these reflections onto a digital “website” so players could see and navigate amongst multiple names. Each reflection was represented by a white dot next to the speaker’s name. When players click a dot, a reflection will play and a blue line will lead the player to another name.

When collecting the reflections, I found participants were often surprised to learn about the meanings and the stories behind the names, and would respond by contrasting their own cultures or by personalising the other’s experiences. Participants were taking ownership over the other's experience and validating their own cultural identities in relation to the other. These reflections became a catalyst for people to share their memories and affirm experiences.

As the designer, I felt the project impacted me the most out of all my participants. Unlike most participants who only listened to a couple stories, I had to process every one to make the digital piece. I felt like my sense of community and cultural identity was strengthened with each story. In a sense, the feelings of unity were less pronounced when interacting with the digital platform and more through the act of processing the assets needed to make the platform.