WHAT
My ‘How Can’ question:
How can we commemorate the death of individuals using more modern methods, instead of relying on traditional tombstones and funerals?
I want to adopt interaction dezsign as my methodology and use narrative language combined with my experiences to articulate my ideas. This approach will involve constructing corresponding scenarios and user personas for the project.
WHY:
The Oxford Internet Institute has noted that by 2070, the dead may outnumber the living on Facebook, a shift which is giving rise to digital graveyards and new career paths such as “digital undertaker”(Cassandra Napoli, 2022). A 2019 UK study revealed just 7% of respondents wanted their social accounts to remain accessible when dead, 26% wanted their accounts removed with content passed on to loved ones and 25% wanted their accounts removed immediately after they die.
Web Memorial Pages (Taylor & Francis Group, 2017), These pages often serve as a permanent online presence that commemorates the life of the deceased, allowing people to contribute and visit at any time from anywhere.
After being introduced to the concept of “Digital Immortality,” I interviewed my relatives and friends and also explored my own experiences. I found that our discussions centered on questions like, “Do we only think about death when someone’s about to die? Are funerals more about looking back or just for show?” These conversations led me to think about what commemoration really means at its core.
Through these reports and books, and in conversations with my friends, we have developed both ‘Web memorial pages’ and reimagined eternal existence through our digital devices, which serve as online tributes to remember and honor those who have passed. However, these primarily focus on serving the needs of family and friends and do not really center on commemorating the individual who has died.
HOW:
I want to adopt interaction design and graphic design as my methodology and use narrative language combined with my experiences to articulate my ideas. This approach will involve constructing corresponding scenarios and user personas for the project.
I want to explore a new way of commemoration, which could be digital, online, or physical space. Possible extensions could include interactive product design, brand design, web design, or even installations. Not just a way to commemorate your loved ones, but also a way for you to explore how you commemorate yourself.
Firstly, I feel a bit challenged in defining the scope of the target group. At this stage, I need to research books on death psychology and conduct surveys. Additionally, I need to consider whether to focus on a specific cultural background, and whether to discuss the different attitudes towards death I perceive between China and the UK. Addressing these issues is essential for me to explore this new way of commemoration so that I can better proceed with my intervention.
Here is my intervention 1.0 version:
I’m an agent from the “Posthumous Memory Curator” agency, which is specifically, a memory agency for after you’ve passed away. Customers(You) can contact us at any time you see fit while you’re still alive. Based on the information customers(you) provide in our forms, along with any items or memorabilia customers(you) wish to include, we’ll create a personalized memorial “space” for you. This “space” is under your control while customers(you) are alive, with our platform providing assistance. After your death, we take over the management of this space to preserve your memories and also make it accessible to your friends and family who wish to remember you.
Before we start to custom-made your personalized memorial “space”. You need to fill out this Form before starting our personalized service. Customers(you) can update or modify their space or selections over time.
The questions in the form are profound and are designed to more accurately unearth the customer’s precious memories and the things they truly wish to commemorate.
After answering all these questions, our agent would provide 4 types of “space” for you to choose. We offer these four formats to digitally store your memories, or more precisely, the memories customers(you) yourself deem valuable, in order to achieve a personalized posthumous commemoration.
Zine
Photobook Set
USB Stick with Websites
QR Code All four formats are based on the memories customers(you) describe and mention, which we will visualize and then produce. Also, we will ensure the privacy and security of the stored memories and personal information.
WHAT IF:
To complete this intervention, I first need to continue exploring the cultural aspects of death. I also need to delve deeply into people’s inner thoughts, summarizing interviewees’ thoughts using narrative language to uncover their truly valuable memories.
Ultimately, by designing and visualizing these memories, I aim to preserve them digitally for eternity. Delving into the culture of death and the death industry will provide me with knowledge I have never encountered before; I will try to master conversational skills that guide people to explore themselves; product and visual design will also present new challenges, requiring me to learn more software tools. This approach will mark a new direction distinct from existing digital memorialization methods.
Reference:
Napoli, C. (2022) Research Radar: Digital Immortality. rep. Available at: https://www.wgsn.com/insight/article/94182?lang=en (Accessed: 2022).
Arnold, M, Gibbs, M, Kohn, T, Meese, J, & Nansen, B 2017, Death and Digital Media, Taylor & Francis Group, Oxford. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [15 May 2024].