The Big Orange Octopus

The Big Orange Octopus is a children’s book that fosters grief literacy, emerging from the phenomenological research at the core of my 2025 senior thesis, Design for Grief. Inspired by my own experiences and the grief I witnessed in my community, this project unfolds in two parts: research and design, translating narratives of loss into a compassionate, accessible tool for conversation.

Research 1

Research

Learning directly from those who have experienced grief was central to my thesis. I developed a discussion guide in alignment with trauma informed language principles, and conducted in depth interviews that shed light on individuals' unique relationships with grief. These interviews were complemented by secondary research from my exploratory phase. I learned from books, blogs, videos, grief support groups, and public surveys to build a broader understanding of grief’s social and emotional dimensions.

Inspired by Grief: A Study of Human Emotional Experience, I designed a survey, and hung up posters around Brooklyn to reach a wider range of perspectives.

Grief Survey Poster

Synthesis

I listened back through my transcripts, pulling quotes, insights, and concepts into an affinity diagram made up of post its on my wall. As my data grew and grew, I transitioned to a living doc on Figma. To me, synthesis is not just an act of organization, but an intentional process of deeply engaging with the stories that I collect. These visual methods helped me to see recurring themes, highlight systemic shortcomings, and identify opportunities for meaningful design interventions. These insights not only guide my exploration but also ensure that my work remains rooted in real experiences.

Insight

"The resources are there, the conversations are not"

For those experiencing grief, countless resources are available; books, support groups, grief counselors, apps, coping tools, and more. One interviewee even reported feeling like there were too many options. At the same time, grief is silenced. Many people lack the comfortability and language to navigate their grief or support others. This stigma around grief can discourage individuals from seeking help or even acknowledging their grief openly. We need design that not only addresses grief, but provides opportunities for shared experiences and destigmatization.

PNG design for grief poster edited final.png

I was honored to be selected to participate in the 2025 Pratt Research Open House in the sector of Health and Technology.

Poster for Pratt Research Open House, visualizing my research process

Design Concept

Design

The Big Orange Octopus is a children’s book about grief. I focused on addressing grief literacy within families, inspired by the recurrent insight around the profound impact grief has on family dynamics. I thought about the design artifacts that facilitate learning and connection in families, and found that reading together can offer a gentle, accessible opportunity to build a shared language around navigating loss.

During my interviews, I asked participants to imagine their grief as a character. One interviewee responded that his “grief is like an octopus.” Inspired by this response, the story centers around a young boy who notices an octopus following him after the loss of a loved one, providing readers with a tool to understand grief through metaphor.

Design Process

I began by sketching and storyboarding the narrative alongside the visual world of the book. I tested early drafts with a children’s book expert and several of my previous interviewees to refine tone, language, and flow. I also attended an educational workshop on pediatric grief support and studied other children’s books that address serious topics, analyzing the use of illustration, pacing, and metaphor.