Building Experiences

As individuals, we all experience the world in diverse ways. Whether it’s a walk through a forest, a night out at a restaurant, or a thrilling ride on a rollercoaster, each experience is unique, a mix of sensory inputs, and memory engrams that elicit emotional responses like fear, happiness, or nostalgia. While some experiences are random or unplanned, some are not, designed by someone to produce an emotional response. For instance, a bus shelter is designed to help protect commuters from the elements, provide route schedules, and signal a location in space allocated for public transit. 

The goal of an experiental design (EXD) is to distill the essential components of a desired experience into a physical form that includes audio, visual, and cognitive inputs. This is why EXD borrows from disciplines like exhibit design, architecture, and production design to craft stories and design a narrative that replicates the elements of a personal experience into something that can be shared with other people.