Design considerations for after death

Abstract

As more of our personal interactions are enacted online, designers of websites and social networks must respond through appropriate design. Interest within the HCI community surrounding death exists with a growing number of projects focused on innovative technologies and design considerations for online spaces particularly for the bereaved. Limited however, are empirical studies across different website architectures over a longer period of time rather than directly after death. In this study we look at the affordances of three online platforms and analyse the comments made on them in response to the murder of American teenager Anna Svidersky in 2006. The platforms include Anna's MySpace page, a memorial video on YouTube and an online condolence book. We show how the affordances of online environments affect participation by not only friends and family, but also strangers. Based on our study we outline nine design considerations that address issues relating to death and memorialisation online.

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