Hearing Silences Documentary
Supplement: A Living Database

Information architecture and content strategy: stakeholder interviews; sitemaps; wireframes (Figma); prototypes (Figma); product specifications; content strategy and development, CMS site build, and client hand-off.

The Challenge

‘Hearing Silences,’ a documentary film from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern, exploring the trials and achievments of Black women faculty at Northwestern University.

While the film showcases academics from all across the Universitythrough found footage, interviews, and archival documentation, a full accounting of self-identified Black women faculty at Northwestern did not yet exist.

I worked directly with the film’s director/producer to design, develop, and ship a fully new website to supplement the film.

What We Accomplished:

• Filterable (by affiliated school department) profiles of the 15 academics interviewed in the documentary
  
• Searchable and filterable datatable of nearly 300 academics that can grow over time
  
• Additional archival resources, linking users to the extensive University Library archive, including B-roll footage and historical documents

Discovery

Site maps, stakeholder interviews, and analysis of the film’s trailer allowed me to sculpt an initial framework for the site.

Challenges Discovered:

1. A jumbled, nascent database of information needed to be carefully revised and expanded.
2. Uncertainty around the film’s scope created a information gap

Goals Articulated:

• Homepage that honors the film and expresses its importance, with high quiality images and clear CTAs to bring users to the various supplemental resources.
  
• List 200-300 academics (easily searchable and filterable), ranging from professors to researchers to staff leaders.
  
• Incorporate additional details about those featured prominently in the film, including quotes, short bios.
  
  

Wireframes

Finding the right solution to communicate the complex reporting process and possible outcomes was a challenge. We wanted to give all necessary details without overwhelming the user.
Through flowcharts, interactive timelines, and simple lists, we landed on a tabs + numbered list solution.