Final Semester Project Update (12/9-12/15)

Demo

Presentation

This semester I set out to make a project centered around grief. I didn’t set a lot of expectations for what that project would look like but I’m glad that I came to the place I’m at now. I’ve made a full card game prototype that is functional and engages people to talk about grief. Through all the prototypes I created and interviews I conducted, I’m very satisfied with how it all came together.

Initially, I was very apprehensive to do a project centered around grief, because it’s a dark topic that people might not be comfortable about. But deep down, I knew I wanted to try it anyways because it’s a topic that’s very personal to me. The first couple of interviews I had were difficult because I wasn’t sure how to frame questions around a personal topic. But the more I talked to people, the easier it got because I got a grasp of how people approach the topic. It’s more about storytelling and being able to verbalize their personal stories. And from that insight is how I came to the project I have now.

My peers were very helpful in helping me brainstorm or ideate for my project (Jessica Yang, Nathalia Kasman, Eugina Chun, Kendra Wong, Elijah Hanes, etc.). I also reached out to Haakon Faste for his insight on resources he might know. He referred me to Sarah Davis, and writer who is also working on a project around grief. She recently started a podcast about people who have lost their parents, and how that experience is different for everyone. From there I started getting resources and research on grief. I also did an essay on how social media affects grief (inspired by thesis) and also gained more research on the topic. Patricia Lange (Anthropology of Technology professor) referred me to a few resources as well. And lastly, my friends helped me through the project as well, as we have all experienced grief together. I enjoyed gaining their insight and seeing their touched reactions motivated me more.

Next semester, I plan to continue this card game and push it further. I want to play test it with more individuals who have and haven’t experienced loss. I also plan to create a digital touchpoint, probably a website, in order to talk about this game and provide resources for grief and loss. It would also be fun to explore visual branding and an unboxing experience for this game.