Changing the Narrative in Storytelling, Virtual Reality, and Product Design
We live in a solution-centric society that glorifies disruptive technology and products alike, but how do we create products without first understanding the structures that shape our identities such as culture and power?
From 2D to 4D Storytelling
Ever wonder what a typical day is like for a homeless man in Atlanta? Or what it’s like for minority students in a K-12 classroom today? For years creatives have used data and personal recollections to tell stories through traditional mediums such as theatre, art, and writing. Today, storytelling has taken on the fourth dimension and with the help of technologies such as tangible user interfaces and virtual reality, we are now able to present emotionally engaging and interactive stories that promote social change, empower underrepresented communities, and evoke empathy.
In this Architecting Emotion With Experience, an interactive exhibit created by MSHCI alumni Erik Thompson, spectators are able to visualize and identify areas in Atlanta where the homeless populations are most densely populated. This project explores both tangible user interfaces and interactive data visualization techniques. As users interact with the wall, they are also able to hear personal stories from the homeless in the areas selected and listen to their perspectives.
Similarly, virtual reality also allows us to take interactive storytelling a step further by allowing us to step into experiences that challenge the biases we have. This anti-implicit bias experience, created by Debias VR founder Clorama Dorvilias, explores ways to reduce bias against minority students in K-12 classrooms. In Teacher’s Lens, the user enters a diverse classroom and throughout the simulation, the system tracks which students they call on and how frequently they do so. Using evidence-based training simulations, this experience encourages educators to take accountability for how they support students of other races by examining their own preferences.
Why Diverse Stories Matter
VR has become a powerful tool that allows us to visit unimaginable places, create memories, and experience empathy through embodied experiences. Most of these experiences, however, mirror the cultural makeup of Silicon Valley and lack representation of minorities. Every year we hear of new technologies that misrepresent, misidentify, and disregard people of color.
A few examples are the soap dispenser and sensors that did not recognize black skin, the algorithm that misidentified two black friends as ‘gorillas’…the list goes on.
So how do we begin to incorporate underrepresented communities into the products we build? I believe we must start by first changing the narrative. With diverse narratives, not only can we shape the future of product design, but we can also shape the minds of future leaders in these communities. With technologies such as VR and tools like storytelling, we can design, develop, and share experiences that showcase underrepresented stories as well as empower those communities to tell their own.
How Do We Begin Creating Diverse Stories?
1. Acknowledge power structures and bias.
Before we can begin to understand how the narratives we tell affect other communities, we must first acknowledge the structures of power that govern our cities, media, educational system, and jobs. This starts with recognizing that not only do these structures not seek to serve underrepresented communities, but they also lack diversity across the board. We must also acknowledge the biases we hold within ourselves. Many of them stemming from these structures and the stories they propagate each day.
2. Question rather than assert.
As researchers/designers/developers, we can be extremely solution-driven and tend to insert our own beliefs of the ‘solution’ without first taking a step back to understand the problem and the people affected by it. To capture authentic narratives that truly represent the diverse communities and individuals across the globe, we must assume an attitude of questioning, rather than asserting. This is the true essence of User Research and Ethnography within the Human Computer Interaction discipline.
To capture authentic narratives that truly represent the diverse communities and individuals across the globe, we must assume an attitude of questioning, rather than asserting.
3. Engage with people from diverse backgrounds, daily.
Finally, changing the narrative actually happens daily, on a personal and conversational level. Making an effort to create spaces for diversity in the teams we build and work with allows us to engage in conversations that stretch our perspectives. While these conversations may be uncomfortable for some, they are necessary for unbiasing our minds. Also, quite frankly, our comfortability often needs to take a seat if we truly want to understand someone else’s perspective.
Case Study: Neurospeculative Afrofeminism
Hyphen-Labs is a great example of a team where women of color have taken control of their narratives and incorporated diverse storytelling in product design. In 2016, they created a VR narrative that explores the Afrofuturism movement in hopes of inspiring young women of color to reclaim their identities and step into Computing. NeuroSpeculative AfroFeminism incorporates women of color into the tech narrative by giving them an entry point into the field at the intersection of Afrofuturism, Neuroscience, and Speculative Design. In the experience, the participant is taken to a speculative world where they first find themselves seated in a chair at a futuristic hair salon. The salon is a Neuro Cosmetology lab led by women of color where you assume you will be getting your hair done but in reality, these stylists/scientists are working on your neurons and preparing you for a transformative experience.
For my Master’s project research, I am exploring the short and long-term cognitive effects that diverse VR narratives such as NSAF have on young women of African descent. Specifically, I am exploring the following question:
What impact does exposure to and participation in culturally responsive VR experiences have on levels of self-efficacy and feelings of imposter syndrome for black girls in computing?
The expected outcome of this research project is a body of knowledge, workshops, and presentations that show the relationships between self-efficacy, motivation, and virtual reality experiences that include women of color.
Read more about this project on my portfolio.
Take Action: Tools for Storytelling in VR
Below are some tools I have come across that make it easy for non-developers to design experiences and tell stories in virtual reality. Many of these tools are great for classroom settings!
