„Intergenerational Digital Storytelling“ | 01

Introduction:

As a dedicated advocate for meaningful and impactful art, I have embarked on a journey that has led me to explore a Master’s thesis in Interactive Design, a path that transcends my previous work as a Graphic and Multimedia Designer. Throughout my life, I’ve channeled my creative energy into projects addressing critical issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse prevention, inclusivity for individuals with impaired development, and various ecological initiatives. However, for my Master’s thesis, I have chosen to dive into a project that holds deep personal significance while addressing the universal need for connection, remembrance, and storytelling.

Thesis Concept:

The core concept of my Master’s thesis centers around the development of a genealogy app that serves as a unique platform for preserving, sharing, and celebrating family histories across generations. This endeavor aims to move beyond the conventional family tree applications, offering an innovative and immersive approach to connecting with our roots and fostering intergenerational relationships.

Key Features:

  • Inclusive Storytelling: Unlike traditional family tree applications, this platform is not limited to listing ancestors‘ names. It encourages users to provide information about beloved relatives who have passed away, ensuring their legacies are preserved. Additionally, it empowers living family members to share their stories, be it through videos, text, images, or audio recordings.
  • Life Milestones Tracking: The app enables users to meticulously record every significant moment in their lives, from first steps and first words to graduations, promotions, and even marriages. This feature transforms the app into a living, breathing chronicle of family history.
  • Privacy and Accessibility: Privacy is a paramount concern; access to the family tree is protected by a password, ensuring only approved family members can participate. It can be used for immediate families, bridging geographical gaps and keeping everyone updated on life’s joys, big and small.
  • Global Family Connection: For those seeking to extend their family network across the world, the app accommodates a comprehensive family tree. Every family member has the opportunity to contribute their own information and insights about the relatives they know, fostering a greater sense of kinship.

Personal Significance:

This project holds personal significance for me, as it’s born from a desire to preserve cherished memories of my late father. Our close bond meant that we rarely captured our time together through photos, videos, or audio recordings. Now, in his absence, I understand the profound importance of preserving these moments. This app seeks to help individuals cherish their loved ones by documenting and sharing their stories beyond the confines of social media.

In addition, the app offers a unique way to bridge generational gaps. My partner and I have begun discreetly recording his 96-year-old grandfather, capturing his captivating stories and wisdom for our future children, who may never meet him in person. These stories are not just for us but for future generations to understand and connect with their roots.

Usability:

One of the cornerstones of this project is its user-friendliness. It is designed to be intuitive and accessible to all, from tech-savvy children to elderly grandparents. This ensures that everyone can participate in preserving their family’s history without unnecessary complications.

Conclusion:

In a world increasingly driven by digital technology, the concept of preserving and sharing our family histories takes on new dimensions. This genealogy app is not just an application but a testament to our shared human experience, a bridge between generations, and a safeguard for the memories and stories that make us who we are. It holds the potential to foster a profound sense of closeness and humanity in an ever-connected, yet sometimes disconnected world.

Elaboration of the key tasks with a connection to the content I’ve already provided:

1. Announce and describe the overall topic in general:

  •  The overarching theme of this master’s thesis centers around the development of an innovative genealogy app, designed for intergenerational digital storytelling and the preservation of family histories. It addresses the modern need for maintaining and celebrating family connections.

2. Use of tagwords that describe the topic:

  • Tagwords encompass digital genealogy, intergenerational storytelling, family history preservation, user-friendly platform, personal memories, family connections.

3. Use good and simple examples (pics/videos/links) that describe your topic:

4. Show central research question(s) and sub-questions:

  • Central Research Question: „How can interactive design facilitate the creation of user-friendly platforms for intergenerational digital storytelling in family history preservation?“
  • Sub-questions:
    • What are the key features and functionalities that would make such an app user-friendly?
    • How do user needs differ across generations, and how can the app accommodate them?
    • How can privacy be ensured while sharing personal family stories?
    • What are the technical challenges involved in creating a robust platform?

5. Underline the relevance for the design fields:

  • This project is highly relevant for the design field as it combines user experience design, interface design, and information architecture to create a platform that not only fulfills a practical purpose but also embodies the essence of storytelling and human connection through design.

6. Name some approaches how design could help to solve issues/questions:

  • Design can address these issues by:
    • Creating an intuitive and user-friendly interface for allgenerations.
    • Ensuring robust data privacy features.
    • Facilitating the seamless sharing of multimedia familymemories.
    • Employing user-centered design principles to cater to diverse user needs.

7. Name some of the challenges that you expect during research:

  • Challenges may include:
    • Balancing user-friendliness with comprehensive features.
    • Addressing potential privacy concerns.
    • Handling data security and storage.
    • Navigating technical complexities in multimedia integration.

8. Underline your personal motivation:

  • My personal motivation arises from the loss of my father and a desire to preserve cherished memories. The emotional connection to the project fuels my commitment to making it a success.

9. Link to relevant institutions (commercial/academic):

10. A preview of intended steps in the upcoming research phase:

  • The research will commence with a comprehensive literature review to understand the existing landscape of genealogy apps and intergenerational digital storytelling. This will be followed by user research to identify diverse needs and preferences across generations. The subsequent phases will involve designing and testing the app, addressing technical and privacy concerns, and iteratively refining the platform for user satisfaction. Ultimately, the research will seek to offer insights into the impact of design in preserving and celebrating family histories through digital means.
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