Created an interactive experience to engage audiences through digital storytelling
I led UX for the C&G Partners team redesigned California Museum’s longest-running exhibit, “Uprooted! Japanese Americans During WWII” that surveys a century of Japanese American history in California. The design for the exhibition work won an Anthem Award.
Role
Lead UX Designer
Company
California Museum
Year
2022
Lead UX Designer
Company
California Museum
Year
2022
Designing interactive narratives
As the designer of the interactive screens in the exhibit for“Uprooted! Japanese Americans During WWII,” I crafted a dynamic and immersive experience for visitors exploring the Japanese internment camps exhibit. Structurally, each kiosk features a consistent layout, comprising five horizontally stacked narrow containers. Four of these containers showcase compelling video clips featuring individuals who lived through the Japanese internment camps, providing poignant glimpses into their experiences. These video containers offer short teasers with play buttons, enticing visitors to engage further with the narratives.
In contrast, the fifth container serves as an image gallery, displaying a curated selection of photographs related to the exhibit. Select images within the gallery are accompanied by audio clips of beloved docents, providing additional context and personal insights. In the inactive state, one container is consistently highlighted, rotating across the set of five to offer a preview of the content and capture visitors' interest.
DESIGNS
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Uncovering historical narratives
Upon interaction, clicking on a video container expands the clip to allow museumgoers to watch the full video, delving deeper into the personal accounts and reflections of those affected by internment. Similarly, selecting the image gallery container opens up the gallery, enabling users to explore and learn more about the various images featured in the exhibit.
I made the deliberate choice to keep all five containers visible even when one is expanded. User testing showed that visitors were more likely to engage with multiple pieces of content when they are not hidden from the screen. This interactive design encourages active engagement and facilitates a deeper understanding of the historical context and human stories behind the Japanese internment camps.