Narrative Translation as Design Method: From Oral Traditions to Human-Centered Technology

This essay examines narrative translation as a design methodology that adapts oral traditions and storytelling structures into human-centered technology. Building on the foundational framework introduced in the prologue, this paper develops the concept of "Narrative Translation"—using oral and written traditions as models for innovation. Through close readings of Octavia E. Butler's Earthseed verses, Rivers Solomon's The Deep, and insights from African griot traditions, I trace how storytelling patterns can inform user experience design, conversational AI systems, and information architecture. The paper proposes four design principles: Multiplicity over Singularity, Call-and- Response over Broadcast, Context as Content, and Iteration through Retelling. A case study of a community archiving platform demonstrates practical applications. This work positions oral narrative structures not as cultural artifacts but as living methodologies for building technologies that honor multiple perspectives, enable dialogue, and preserve context

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Cite as: desci.ng.1308.2025

Uploaded on May 8, 2026, 3:23:53 PM

Afrofuturism, narrative translation, oral traditions, human-centered design, conversational AI, griot, Octavia Butler, Rivers Solomon

Notes

This research is highly relevant to the African and Nigerian context because many communities still depend on oral storytelling, communal memory, and shared cultural knowledge. The study shows how these traditional narrative structures can influence the design of modern technologies such as conversational AI, digital archives, and educational platforms. The ideas discussed in the paper can be practically applied in preserving indigenous histories, documenting local communities, and creating technology systems that better reflect African ways of communicating and sharing knowledge. This is especially important in Nigeria, where rapid modernization and urban development continue to threaten cultural memory and local histories. The research also encourages designers and developers to build systems that value context, dialogue, and multiple perspectives instead of relying only on rigid Western design models. Overall, the study demonstrates that African oral traditions can serve as valuable frameworks for creating more human-centered and culturally aware technologies.

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