-Process Book-
Dedication
BOth this Project and Book would not have been possible without the aid and guidance of my wonderful Mentor Sandy Christensen. She is both a mentor and role model in creativity and life itself.
-Thank you-
Content DME REPORT 2 4 6 14 18 34 Influences Timeline References 16 20 24 32
For My thesis, I am Focusing on how to utilize experimental Digital Design to aid the storytelling process. I’m interested in Showcasing an autobiographical story in an unconventional way that is still legible to the viewer. This curiousity has led me to my thesis question:
HOW Can I use UX to tell a story?
2
What is User Experience Design?
While there is no “Real” definition to UX Design, typically, there is some sort of relation of “Fundamental elements of the interaction (user, system, context) and typologies of experience (ergonomic, cognitive, and emotional)”
(Berni, A., & Borgianni, Y.)
What Is considered an Autobiography?
“the biography of oneself narrated by oneself” (Britannica) -Hence the Character of myself in my piece-
NOw, How can These work together?
4
6
Digital Design (specifically in the interactive realm) is an unconventional medium used in autobiographies thus there’s not much preexisting material to reference. Also, this projects’ personal subject means there is even fewer frameworks/set procedures to work within.
8
user experience Design will be crucial in addressing the legibility of my thesis. UX Design fosters consideration and focus onto those who will interact with my project. This will help me make my project user-friendly both technically and visually.
10
when i’ve completed the content for my project, placed it & linked it in figma and have a prototype that people are able to test. then, if the user is able to easily manuever throughout my story without any issues, whether technical or logistical, and is able to make it to the end- I will know I’ve succeeded.
12
Content-Wise:
Sandy (My DME)
Telltale Games (Search/interact with objects in order to progress story/gain more info)
Style-Wise:
PErsepolis (Comic/multi-event Story)
Florence (Nintendo Switch)-(pacing/ simple graphics/interactive elements)
14
Autobiography | Definition, History, Types, Examples, & Facts. (2024, February 20). Britannica. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.britannica. com/art/autobiography-literature
Berni, A., & Borgianni, Y. (2021). FROM THE DEFINITION OF USER EXPERIENCE TO A FRAMEWORK TO CLASSIFY ITS APPLICATIONS IN DESIGN. Proceedings of the Design Society, 1, 1627–1636. doi:10.1017/ pds.2021.424
LCG Entertainment, Inc. (2023). Telltale Games. Retrieved 2024, from https://telltale.com/ Mountains. (2018, February 14). Florence [Video Game]. Nintendo Switch.
Satrapi, M. (2007). The Complete Persepolis. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
Once again, I started off seeking more information on how to best utilize user experience design to tell a story, specifically an autobiographical story. My research and experience throughout this project has revealed to me that UX is a process of trial and error and that there is no “right” or necessarily “best” method to tell a story. Obviously some strategies work better than others, such as the pacing in FLorence, the blend of multiple events in PErsepolis and the interactive elements in the Telltale Game series such as The Walking Dead. However, as a whole every Autobiography and ever UX Design is subjective in both the intended user and the creator. What “works best” is based on what the intention is of the creator and how well that translates or not to the user.
34
