ABSTRACT
This chapter examines two transmedia experiences as specific examples of how design thinking empathy research strategies can be used to inform socially-concerned transmedia storytelling. “We’re Still Here: Stories of the Flint Water Crisis” demonstrates the use of empathy research to develop a theater stage production and related media intended to build awareness and human connection to a crisis that, at the time, was widely reported in news media. The Blue Roots Project and #MyWaterStory campaign highlight how empathy research with members of a target audience can inform engagement and distribution strategies based on audience feedback. Though different, the creation of these experiences using design thinking shows how this process can be leveraged to create stories that strive to motivate publics to personal action or inspire deeper understanding of the human victims of environmental crises.
