Marriage Is…

A Comparative Exploration of the Meaning of Marriage

client: University of Cincinnati: College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (Digital Design Capstone Project)

project role: Art Direction

outputs: Interaction Design / Poster / Research Paper

Project Statement

In recent debates over marriage rights, one of one of the most common points of contention is over the definition of marriage. Some frame marriage through the context of their faith, some use personal experiences, some view marriage through a legal lens and others site historical examples, but not everyone defines marriage in the same way. This project sought to help viewers learn about different frameworks for marriage.

The ultimate goal of this interface was to show that people place different values and meanings on the idea of marriage based on individual experiences. The user is able to control for variables such as age, sexual orientation, marital status, and gender identity.

Target Audience

This interactive piece is targeted primarily towards adults interested in social justice work and marriage equality. This site could be used as a companion tool for discussions to help illustrate different approaches to define at marriage.

Design Attributes

Candid: The photos included headless, full screen shots of participants holding signs of what marriage means to them. The participants wrote their responses on a large, white poster board and were photographed in different locations so they would look as if they were plucked off the street.
Inclusive: Many of the icons and design choices were carefully chosen, taking into consideration the different views being presented. Throughout the process, icons such as the wedding rings were refined to appear more gender neutral.
Weddings: Many marriages begin with a wedding; the colors and graphics in this interface were heavily influenced by current trends in wedding invitation designs.