Wanuskewin Heritage Park is located in the heart of the prairies, just five kilometers north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. This park is a unique cultural and historical site that preserves and celebrates the Indigenous heritage of the Northern Plains people, specifically the Northern Plains Indigenous Peoples.
Wanuskewin Heritage Park is also home to a variety of cultural and historical exhibits. Visitors can learn about the history and traditions of the Northern Plains Indigenous Peoples through interactive displays, art exhibits, and guided tours. The park also hosts a variety of cultural events throughout the year, showcasing traditional music, dance, and storytelling.
Project Description
The project includes creating six exhibits and installations for the Wanuskewin Heritage Park in Saskatchewan, Canada.
One of the exhibits are the Bison Hunt Game, which allows visitors to experience the thrill of the hunt and the importance of the bison to Indigenous culture. Visitors can learn about the significance of bison to Indigenous people and their traditional hunting methods. Another exhibit is the Bison Ecology, which educates visitors on the role of the bison in the ecosystem. The Donor Wall is a three 32” touch screen, which recognizes the generous contributions of individuals and organizations including maps and announcements to the Wanuskewin Heritage Park. The Indigenous Leaders Wall pays tribute to the important Indigenous leaders who have helped shape the history and culture of the region. The Tipi Seasonal Stories exhibit allows visitors to learn about stories and traditional Indigenous practices for younger audiences. Finally, our Video Interactives provide visitors with an immersive experience that brings the history and culture of the Wanuskewin Heritage Park.
My Role and Responsibilities
I was the UX Designer for all six exhibits and Illustrator for two of six exhibit at the Wanuskewin Heritage Park. Working alongside our content researcher, producer, and developers, I collaborated with the team to produce engaging and informative exhibits that showcased the rich history of the region. I was the UX designer during the pre-production and ideation phase, while I played the role of an illustrator in the production stage.
During the UX design stage, I created detailed user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and animated prototypes for each exhibit. Additionally, I was responsible for ensuring that accessibility considerations were integrated into the designs, making sure that each exhibit could be enjoyed by all visitors to the park.
Government Announcements and News Links
Exhibit 01 – Bison Hunt Game
The Bison Hunt Game is an interactive exhibit that engages visitors in learning about the significance of the bison to Indigenous culture. The exhibit features a 65-inch touchscreen mounted on a table beside a bison exhibit, as shown in the image above.
The exhibit provides a unique opportunity to learn about the historical and cultural significance of the bison hunt, which has long been considered a sacred animal in Indigenous culture. By experiencing the thrill of the hunt through simulations and interactive exhibit, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of the importance of the bison to Indigenous communities. The exhibit is an excellent way to educate visitors about Indigenous culture and promote cross-cultural understanding.
Here are two out of thirty wireframes that I worked on for the Bison Hunt Experience. The UX process includes clickable prototypes, an iterative process, and speak-out-loud testing to create a seamless experience for both the story and design.
As part of my work on the Bison Hunt game, I drew a total of eight illustrations. I’m sharing four of them here, along with the final look of the screen with the illustration that I worked on.
Exhibit 02 – Bison Ecology
As the UX designer for the pre-production and ideation stage of Bison Ecology, I was responsible for ensuring that the user experience was aligned with the research and readings provided by working closely with the content researcher and producer.
During the production stage of Bison Ecology, I transitioned into the role of concept artist and illustrator. Working with various images, I dedicated to making sure that they all looked cohesive in terms of lighting and setting. It was essential that the images were accurately depicted the project’s vision and research. I also drew multiple creatures for the concept and proposal for UI screen, which was a particularly exciting aspect of the project for me.
