Joods Monument IkPod

The Joods Monument wall in the Jewish Historical Museum represents 6,700 Jewish families murdered during the German occupation. A digital representation the monument was designed as a social media site, www.jhm.nl, giving each family member their own profile and the opportunity for their stories to go beyond a name on a wall. The most difficult design challenge of the site was creating a welcoming atmosphere that encouraged story-seeking and story-sharing with such somber subject matter. Careful consideration was taken on making the ancestry linking minimal in clicks while promoting accuracy. Additionally, any interactive flow choices made on the website needed to be reflected on its companion real-world application, the IkPod.

The ikPod, a specially adapted iPod, links the names on the wall to the Digital Monument website. UX/UI design of the app had to pull as much information and elements as the website, but smaller and quicker. Emphasis was also put on the location as users could track any profile’s stories by walking around Amsterdam. The entire project was a great success, resulting in Joods Monument IkPod being 2011 Spin Award winner for Best Mobile Concept and Best Crossmedia Concept.