What
Chain of Memories is a project that helps connect family, friends, and strangers with the lives of those lost in cycling accidents. Users are able to leave memories of their own, or simply learn more about the people who have been taken before their time.
Why
Every year, hundreds of people lose their lives in cycling accidents. Memorials are set up around the world, usually at the site of the accident, in the form of completely white painted bikes, called ‘Ghost Bikes’. These are placed as reminders for others to be safe and to honor the memory of that person. Chain of Memories aims to help others share or discover a small part who those people were and the lives they lived.
How
Through personal research and interviews, I designed and constructed a website and an app to act as a gateway to assist people looking for information on those we have lost. I did my best to convey respect throughout each aspect of this project. It was very important for both me and those who have been affected by these events to be able to work with the information in a positive way.
The User
You don’t have to know someone personally to understand how that loss can impact an individual or a community. It was important during the developing of this app to understand and respect not only the person who is being remembered, but the person interacting with it. Ease of use and clarity were at the forefront through ideation and testing. The user should always feel as though learning and sharing information are effortless, never encountering resistance or uncertainty as they explore the app.
Site Map
Wireframes
Lo-Fi Prototypes
Pain Points
Empathy - The user should feel supported, with the spotlight on them and the information. The message and feel of the experience should be about respect for not only those lost, but those seeking to remember them.
Accessibility - People from all walks of life will potentially interact with this interface. It is critical that the experience from start to finish has a low bar to entry, and little to no learning curve.
Clarity - At a glance, information and intent should be clear for any user seeking information.
Hi-Fi Prototypes
Digital Memorials
Users who visit the physical site of a ghost bike will be able to view digital mementos or tokens left there. Visitors will be able to leave a sign of remembrance or a short message. This will help to preserve the memories and gestures of those who have visited, as others can read and interact with the memorial far into the future.
Website and tablet user flows
Takeaways
Experiencing and processing loss are deeply personal. Creating a tool that solely helps the user with what they need while not drawing attention to itself was an unique way to approach this product, and can be a philosophy many other products can employ.
Discovering ways to empathize with the user and support them properly sounds like an obvious point to build out from, but takes it conscious effort to keep advocating for those you hope to be designing.