Nexus
Grief conversation tool designed to open dialogue around loss through prompts and tactile interaction.
Nexus is a grief conversation tool designed to gently open dialogue around loss in a safe, shared setting. Through engraved prompts and tactile objects, it creates space for reflection, listening, and connection — without pressure to explain or resolve emotions. The name refers to a point of connection between people, memories, and the emotions that often remain unspoken.
Rather than offering solutions, Nexus supports presence. It allows difficult conversations to unfold slowly through touch, ritual, and shared attention.
By reframing grief as a shared human experience, Nexus supports emotional expression through listening, empathy, and mutual care.
Grief is deeply personal, yet often difficult to express socially. Many people want to talk about loss but struggle to find the right words or fear overwhelming others. Because grief is often treated as private or mistaken for weakness, conversation around it is often avoided altogether.
Unspoken grief, however, can lead to isolation and prolonged emotional stress.
After losing grandparents on both sides of my family, I witnessed how rarely these emotions were openly discussed. I wanted to design a tool that gently lowers the barrier to conversation, one that invites sharing, but never demands it.
Components
Nexus consists of two components: engraved prompt pieces and tactile objects.
Open-ended questions are engraved along the ribs of a fin-loft-inspired plywood bowl, which also serves as storage. The prompts were developed in consultation with a psychologist and counselor to ensure they function as gentle entry points for people at different stages of grief. Participants can choose when and how to engage, allowing vulnerability to emerge at their own pace.
The engraved prompts are:
What is a memory with them that feels meaningful to you?
Are there moments that remind you of them?
Would you like to share what you remember of the day you learned the news?
What was your relationship with them?
How would you describe the presence they brought into your life?
How did this news change your life?
What has helped you during this time?
Are there parts of your grief that feel easier to talk about, and parts that feel harder?
What feels challenging in this process right now?
How do you stay connected to them now?
Where do you notice moments of ease?
Are there times or situations when you find yourself missing them?
What have you learned about yourself during this grieving process?
How can you honor them in your daily life?
What was your relationship with them like in your own words?
How would you describe what grief feels like for you these days?
What has brought you moments of comfort or grounding lately?
What parts of their presence feel like they're still with you?
What makes it easier for you to talk about your grief, and what makes it harder?
Soft, fidget-like forms support emotional regulation through touch. Inspired by natural elements (water ripples, river pebbles, stars) and cultural mourning rituals (Tibetan sky burial and Hindu water cremation), the objects encourage grounding through texture and weight.
A stacking interaction references a Korean pebble-stacking ritual used to wish peace for loved ones. Materials such as walnut, cherry, beech, ash, cork, velvet, and stone create subtle variations in temperature and tactility, reinforcing calm and sensory presence.
Play Testing
