Rediscovering and Sustaining Heritage: Merging Graphic Design and Ethnographic Principles for Preservation of Historic African-American Settlements, Landmarks, and Cultural Heritage in the age of a Pandemic
Enrique Brown-Spence Mentor: Tracey L. Moore MFA and Digital Media Arts Program Introduction: As a recent appointee to the Harris County African-American Cultural Heritage Commission, I am seeking to develop a standard protocol for using Design and digital media as mechanisms to capture, record, preserve and display the history of African-American Settlements, Culture, and Heritage in Texas that can be duplicated and modified to suit the needs of other Texas communities outside of Harris County. Additional requests from other Commissions and the onset of the Coronavirus Pandemic Quarantine has necessitated a change in our approach as it relates to conducting in-person oral interviews, visiting historical sites, and interacting with other historical societies and gatekeeper groups. As a participant designer who engages in cultural experiences to better understand the community for which I am designing, I have to modify how I engage with communities that I cannot readily access. These modifications will be embedded into the standard protocol we are seeking to develop. Materials and Methods: PVAMU Digital Media Arts Creative Thinking Process (empirical approach): Involves using a 5-step empirical approach to solving design problems, which in this case is creating and designing digital spaces for historic preservation. The 5-steps are 1. Define the Problem, 2. Research, 3. Ideation, 4. Prototype, and 5. Implement. Directed Storytelling (ethnographic approach): Involves a process where designers can conduct research on an experience so they can experience it without having to do long-term ethnographic research. Participatory Design (commonly referred to as a User-Centered Design): Involves the end-user(s) to be engaged in the Creative Thinking Process in an effort to produce the digital space that is most appropriate to the culture and concerns of the intended audience. Results and Discussion: We are still in the process of developing the instrument. The particular site that we are documenting, George Washington Carver Community Center in Navasota, TX, has been closed due to the pandemic. The collection of data and ethnographic research has to take a different turn since we are unable to document actual events and meetings that would occur at the space. We are currently developing a new brand for the Community Center to separate the center as a separate identity from its original usage as a school for African-Americans. References: Bennett, A., Eglash, R., Krishnamoorthy, M., Rarieya, M. Audience as Co-designer: Participatory Design of HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention Posters in Kenya. Design Studies: Theory and Research in Graphic Design, A Reader. Princeton Architectural Press, 2006. Pgs 179–197 Evenson, Shelley. Directed Storytelling: Interpreting Experience for Design. Design Studies: Theory and Research in Graphic Design, A Reader. Princeton Architectural Press, 2006. Pgs 231–240. Awardee and Student: Dr. Tracey L Moore is an Assistant Professor with research interests in Design for historic preservation, UI Design for VR, Design as Cultural Production/Continuance. Enrique Brown-Spence is a senior majoring in Digital Media Arts.
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