South Asian American
Digital Archive

The South Asian American Digital Archive preserves histories often absent from the public record. Its online collections bring material held by families and institutions into public reach, alongside accounts contributed by community members. As SAADA grew, its design needs stretched from a recognizable identity to the details of finding a document or reading a personal history. The work with its Executive Director connected those needs across the website and, later, print.

The interface needed to accommodate deliberate research and the curiosity that begins with a photograph. Image-led pages gave visitors an entry point; browsing options provided routes further into the collection. The identity work called for continuity, preserving recognition as the organization developed. With roughly a third of early traffic coming from mobile devices, responsive design became a practical priority.

The First Days Project brought the relationship between structure and content into sharper focus. Each account described an arrival in the United States. A map supplied geographic context, but its scale competed with the story. Narrowing it gave the narrative more room, with layouts adapted to the medium. Clearer navigation and visible contribution prompts helped connect reading with participation. The team adopted specific navigation and styling recommendations.