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Design for Grief

By Annabel Tillitt

"For the last six months, I have dedicated my academics to the study of grief. The goal of my research is both phenomenological, understanding the emotional experience of grief, and sociological, examining how society responds to it. My research centers qualitative interviews to learn directly from those who have experienced loss. This data is supplemented by secondary research, landscape analysis, and public surveys.

Two key insights shaped the direction of my design:

  • There is a lack of shared language and social protocol for expressing needs during grief.
  • Learning to grieve together as a family is a vital skill.

In response, I am creating a children’s book about grief. Children’s books are not only for kids, but also for the adults who read to them. This format becomes a tangible narrative tool, offering vocabulary and metaphor to support intergenerational conversations about loss.

The story follows a young boy who notices an octopus following him after a loved one passes away. The octopus is a metaphor for grief, inspired by interviews where I asked, “If your grief were a creature, what would it be?”

As part of my exhibit, I designed a participatory activity inviting visitors to draw their own “Creature of Grief”. "

A vibrant and detailed illustrated underwater scene from a children’s book. Coral, plants, and abstract sea life fill the image in saturated blues, purples, reds, and oranges. On the left page, white text reads: “Other times, my octopus is sneaky. It disappears into the sand, blends into the coral, And pops up when I least expect it!” The visual evokes themes of surprise, transformation, and emotion through the metaphor of an elusive octopus.
An infographic titled “Research Journey” outlining a step-by-step process for a qualitative study on grief. The journey includes: Landscape Analysis, Secondary Sources, Synthesis, Interview Protocol, Conducting Interviews, Survey Design, and Final Synthesis. Each step is represented by colorful overlapping circles along a central vertical line, with explanatory text branching to the left and right, detailing the methods used to explore grief through art, research, and human-centered design.
A vibrant and detailed illustrated underwater scene from a children’s book. Coral, plants, and abstract sea life fill the image in saturated blues, purples, reds, and oranges. On the left page, white text reads: “Other times, my octopus is sneaky. It disappears into the sand, blends into the coral, And pops up when I least expect it!” The visual evokes themes of surprise, transformation, and emotion through the metaphor of an elusive octopus.
A reflective worksheet titled “Creatures of Grief,” asking participants to imagine and describe grief as a creature. Prompts explore appearance, behavior, and interaction. On the right, a drawing of four orange octopuses accompanies a personal reflection by “Ian S,” who likens his grief to an octopus—sneaky, ever-changing, sometimes hidden. The text emphasizes the metaphorical and therapeutic use of imaginative characterization to process complex emotions.