Designing an interactive world map for large scale projection and touchscreen
This case study explores how I designed an interactive world map for the Australian War Memorial to educate and engage a diverse audience of exhibition visitors about Australia's many peacekeeping operations.
Figma, Google Slides, Adobe Photoshop
Concept Development, User and Task Flows, Wireframes and Detailed Design, Feedback Implementation, Accessibility Evaluation, UI Kits, Dev Handover, Client Presentations
Figma, Google Slides, Adobe Photoshop
Concept Development, User Flows, Wireframes and Detailed Design, Feedback Implementation, Accessibility Evaluation, UI Kits, Dev Handover, Client Presentations
The Australian War Memorial's galleries explore Australia’s involvement in major conflicts and tell stories of the country’s service, sacrifice, and military history. As part of a large-scale redevelopment across AWM’s exhibition spaces, creative agency Grumpy Sailor was contracted to deliver a series of interactive experiences.
I collaborated as senior designer and led the user-centred design effort for a dynamic multimedia feature in AWM’s Peacekeeping Gallery that encourages visitors to explore the many places where Australians have served as peacekeepers around the world.
The Challenge
I was tasked with designing an experience that was both educational and engaging, enabling multiple users to explore Australia’s peacekeeping operations simultaneously. The solution needed to:
Represent all Australian peacekeeping operations meaningfully on a world map
Convey complex contextual information (deployment reasons, aims, outcomes) in an accessible, digestible way
Balance depth of information for engaged users with clear takeaways for passive users
Be visually striking, intuitive, and accessible for all visitor types
Personal Reflection
At the outset, I knew this would be a project that would stretch both my design and communication skills. The scope — a large projection wall paired with a touchscreen — presented opportunities to experiment with dual-display interaction design, but also challenges in ensuring clarity and coherence between the two.
The Solution
The final solution was a fully interactive multimedia experience showcasing ~60 peacekeeping operations.
Key features:
4m x 2.5m projected animated world map complemented by a 32” touchscreen, encouraging visitors to zoom into regions and explore operations in detail
Dynamic attract screen with call-to-action prompts, compelling imagery, and statistics to draw visitors in
Dual navigation approach: a rotatable 3D globe and a list view, accommodating both exploratory and goal-directed visitors
Context-rich operation cards with readable text, statistics, and images, designed to minimise cognitive overload
Projection wall with simplified content that supports passive learning without overwhelming viewers
The Outcome
This project successfully delivered an engaging, educational experience that met both visitor and institutional needs:
Improved Visitor Engagement: Early feedback from the AWM team indicated strong stakeholder uptake and curiosity.
Inclusive User Experience: Adhered to WCAG accessibility guidelines, enabling visitors to engage with content regardless of ability.
Consistent Design System: Delivered a complete UI kit and dev-ready files, ensuring future maintainability and scalability.
Seamless Integration: Optimised for the CMS and aligned with AWM’s multimedia style guide, reducing friction during development and deployment.
My Role & Process
I refined early MVP wireframes, validated the relationship between the projection and touchscreen, and iterated designs based on team feedback.
I designed UX flows to balance passive and active engagement, ensuring users could quickly grasp key messages:
Australia’s peacekeeping presence is global
Australians have been deployed to a wide variety of locations
Australians have performed diverse roles on peacekeeping missions
Attract Screen
To draw visitors into the experience, I designed a dynamic attract screen with a clear and compelling call to action. The idle-state globe slowly rotates, revealing location labels, images, and glowing nodes that signal the breadth of Australia’s peacekeeping operations. This subtle motion not only captures attention from across the gallery but also communicates the interactive nature of the installation. Looking back, I found this stage particularly rewarding — a reminder that even small, ambient design decisions can significantly influence user curiosity and participation rates.
Home Screen
The home screen became the central hub for exploration, offering two pathways: users could spin the 3D globe and tap on location nodes or switch to a list view to scroll alphabetically through conflict zones and operations. This dual-navigation approach ensured that both casual browsers and more purposeful visitors could engage with the content in a way that suited them. Designing this screen reinforced my appreciation for flexibility in UX — by providing multiple entry points, I lowered the barrier to engagement and allowed users to shape their own discovery journey.
Location View
Selecting a location triggered an animated zoom on the projection, highlighting the number of peacekeeping operations in that area. On the touchscreen, visitors received additional context in the form of text summaries and were prompted to reveal associated operations through horizontally scrolling cards. Each card provided a snapshot — operation name, dates, imagery — encouraging users to dive deeper. This interaction layer was crucial in bridging the gap between global context and individual stories, and it taught me how effective progressive disclosure can be in sustaining engagement without overwhelming the user.
Operation View
Tapping a card expanded it into a detailed view containing all relevant data about the peacekeeping operation. The challenge here was presenting a large volume of information without causing cognitive overload.
I introduced a Read More option for longer text, maintained generous spacing between elements, and kept image galleries in a preview format with lightbox enlargement to prioritise readability. Key statistics were anchored along the bottom, and clear navigation buttons ensured users could easily return to the home screen or browse other operations.
On the projection wall, I focused on top-level statistics and a single hero image — simplifying content for passive viewers and preventing visual fatigue. This part of the project taught me the value of restraint in design: sometimes the most powerful choice is to say less, allowing visitors to absorb information at their own pace.
Creative Direction Conception
I started the direction for this project with the United Nations blue, immediately peaceful, immediately recognisable. With the globe asset (sourced from NASA's Visible Earth Collection) as a defining feature of the experience I was challenged to create UI elements that wouldn't subtract from it's visual appeal.
I adopted glassmorphism UI to complement the globe, ensuring visual clarity without detracting from the animated map. This added depth and reinforced the conceptual theme of shifting perspectives — from the global view to the intimate human stories.
Overcoming Challenges
Working closely with production and tech teams, I collaborated on information architecture and content strategy to ensure CMS compatibility. This often meant making trade-offs between creative freedom and technical feasibility with limitations on layout, interactions, and content flexibility. Aligning multiple stakeholders on structure and priorities demanded clear communication and compromise. Adhering to the Australian War Memorial’s multimedia style guide added another layer of complexity, ensuring visual and tonal consistency across experiences. Finally, meeting strict accessibility standards required constant iteration and testing to guarantee that every visitor — regardless of ability — can engage with the content.
Personal Reflection
These challenges taught me how critical it is to communicate early and often with development teams and stakeholders. It reinforced my belief that constraints can fuel better design — pushing me to refine solutions until they were not just beautiful but robust, inclusive, and technically sound.
Iterating Through Obstacles
Throughout the project, I encountered several obstacles that required thoughtful design iterations to maintain a seamless user experience. One key challenge was addressing navigation confusion between the Location View and the operation card scroll. I explored multiple solutions — experimenting with button placement, button types, and even testing a collapsible shelf to hide and reveal content as needed.
This process reminded me that navigation design is rarely “set and forget.” It’s iterative and deeply tied to how users naturally move through an experience. Each option I explored taught me something about user expectations and the importance of designing for flow, not just function.
Usability Feedback & Collaboration
To validate my direction, I reached out to team members for usability feedback. Their insights helped me refine the final solution, resulting in a streamlined navigation pattern that prioritised simplicity and ease of use. This collaborative phase reinforced the value of fresh eyes on a design problem — usability feedback not only confirmed what worked but revealed friction points I had stopped noticing.
Refining the UI for Clarity
As I moved into final UI design, I identified another opportunity to enhance the user experience. My initial solution relied on pop-up blocks for additional content, but with the globe already serving as a complex visual asset, this approach felt cluttered and visually heavy.
I conducted A/B testing with agency colleagues, comparing the pop-up approach with a full-screen takeover. The testing revealed that the takeover offered a far cleaner presentation, improved readability, and allowed users to focus fully on the story being told. This decision reinforced my belief that small adjustments at the final stages can significantly elevate the clarity and impact of an experience.
Conclusion
Designing this interactive world map for the Australian War Memorial was a deeply rewarding challenge that combined storytelling, education, and engagement at a large scale. This project required balancing the needs of diverse audiences, the technical constraints of large-format projection and touchscreens, and the responsibility of presenting sensitive, historically significant material with clarity and respect.
By applying a Lean UX approach and focusing on user-centered design, I delivered an experience that invites both active and passive participation, allowing every visitor to engage with Australia’s peacekeeping story on their own terms. The combination of a bold projection wall and an intuitive touchscreen encourages curiosity, provides meaningful context, and creates moments of discovery that are memorable and emotionally resonant.
This project reinforced my belief that the most impactful interactive experiences are those that are both inclusive and conceptually grounded. It was a privilege to contribute to a project that honours Australia’s global peacekeeping efforts while making these stories more accessible to a wide audience. The final solution is not only visually striking but also delivers on its educational mission — leaving visitors with a deeper appreciation of Australia’s role in peacekeeping worldwide.
Creative Direction Conception
I started the direction for this project with the United Nations blue, immediately peaceful, immediately recognisable. With the globe asset (sourced from NASA's Visible Earth Collection) as a defining feature of the experience I was challenged to create UI elements that wouldn't subtract from it's visual appeal.
I adopted glassmorphism UI to complement the globe, ensuring visual clarity without detracting from the animated map. This added depth and reinforced the conceptual theme of shifting perspectives — from the global view to the intimate human stories.
Iterating Through Obstacles
Throughout the project, I encountered several obstacles that required thoughtful design iterations to maintain a seamless user experience. One key challenge was addressing navigation confusion between the Location View and the operation card scroll. I explored multiple solutions — experimenting with button placement, button types, and even testing a collapsible shelf to hide and reveal content as needed.
This process reminded me that navigation design is rarely “set and forget.” It’s iterative and deeply tied to how users naturally move through an experience. Each option I explored taught me something about user expectations and the importance of designing for flow, not just function.
Usability Feedback & Collaboration
To validate my direction, I reached out to team members for usability feedback. Their insights helped me refine the final solution, resulting in a streamlined navigation pattern that prioritised simplicity and ease of use. This collaborative phase reinforced the value of fresh eyes on a design problem — usability feedback not only confirmed what worked but revealed friction points I had stopped noticing.
Refining the UI for Clarity
As I moved into final UI design, I identified another opportunity to enhance the user experience. My initial solution relied on pop-up blocks for additional content, but with the globe already serving as a complex visual asset, this approach felt cluttered and visually heavy.
I conducted A/B testing with agency colleagues, comparing the pop-up approach with a full-screen takeover. The testing revealed that the takeover offered a far cleaner presentation, improved readability, and allowed users to focus fully on the story being told. This decision reinforced my belief that small adjustments at the final stages can significantly elevate the clarity and impact of an experience.
Conclusion
Designing this interactive world map for the Australian War Memorial was a deeply rewarding challenge that combined storytelling, education, and engagement at a large scale. This project required balancing the needs of diverse audiences, the technical constraints of large-format projection and touchscreens, and the responsibility of presenting sensitive, historically significant material with clarity and respect.
By applying a Lean UX approach and focusing on user-centered design, I delivered an experience that invites both active and passive participation, allowing every visitor to engage with Australia’s peacekeeping story on their own terms. The combination of a bold projection wall and an intuitive touchscreen encourages curiosity, provides meaningful context, and creates moments of discovery that are memorable and emotionally resonant.
This project reinforced my belief that the most impactful interactive experiences are those that are both inclusive and conceptually grounded. It was a privilege to contribute to a project that honours Australia’s global peacekeeping efforts while making these stories more accessible to a wide audience. The final solution is not only visually striking but also delivers on its educational mission — leaving visitors with a deeper appreciation of Australia’s role in peacekeeping worldwide.
