Quilted

Description of the project in relation to the challenge prompt

Quilted is a platform where users can share their cultural experiences as well as explore new and diverse ones. By enabling users to document and share their unique memories in the form of traditions, recipes, languages, and other relevant experiences, our app encourages the expression of both individual and collective identities all in one place.

We strive to achieve our goal of creating more empathetic and appreciative communities through quilt motifs. The motifs in our app provide a unique sharing process allowing for a richer, more nuanced understanding of the “patchwork” that creates different cultures. We hope to inspire a stronger sense of belonging for each individual and a deeper understanding of how their identities are interwoven. Furthermore, representing one’s cultural background requires a great deal of creativity, which is strengthened through the conceptualization of a tapestry.

Additionally, by making cultural preservation more accessible and engaging, Quilted aims to combat cultural erosion*, the idea that parts of a culture start to disappear or become lost over time. The features within Quilted help ensure that cultural heritage is preserved and passed down through generations. Archiving not only safeguards cultural diversity but also deepens the understanding and appreciation of these cultures.

Description of main design decisions and how they contribute to the final product

Behind every good design is thorough and appropriate research that guides it. Our group started by gathering data and information from scholarly articles, empirical studies, and publications. We looked into the various perspectives about individuals' feelings towards their own and other cultures. This led us to finding the pattern of cultural disconnection and isolation across communities worldwide. We found that users lack the space and tools to actively reconnect with their culture. Our project aims to address that issue.

Synthesis of our secondary research showed little comprehensive applications that easily store the information within memories and traditions. These aspects of oneself and community were revealed to be a core part of personal connection to one’s culture. As a novel tool for collaboration and documentation, Quilted grounds its structure using a clear information hierarchy for grouping users and ideas.

In order to address the issue of lack of organization of one’s own plethora of information, we created Quilt, Tradition, Memory, and Entry views within the app.

“Quilts” offers a collage of all documented moments including both single memories and recurring traditions, presenting a comprehensive representation of interconnected cultural memories. A “Memory” provides a detailed look at a single recollection which allows users to label content relating to their memories even if they are unsure of specific details, ultimately promoting learning and discovery. Lastly, an “Entry” holds content such as photos, videos and text.

Users can also edit their personally-decorated profiles, view their communities, and explore new communities. We emphasized these features to encourage users to make connections (whether it be cultural, social, romantic, etc.) within themselves and their relationships with others. These features offer a space for creative expression of one's own identity, while viewing and exploring different communities provides opportunities to learn about and appreciate other identities and cultures.

Built With

• figjam
• figma