Inukshuk Content

December 21, 2005

I recently read an article on UIE’s website that has got me dreaming and thinking. Here is an excerpt:

Inukshuk is “the name of stone figures created by Inuit hunters as guide markers. The hunters arranged the piles of stones in the likeness of human beings, signifying to other hunters that someone already has passed through and experienced their same journey. An inukshuk provided reassurance and empathy to others and alleviated an Inuit’s fear that they were off the track.”

“In our research [UIE Engineering], we’ve seen that, just like the Inuit hunters, users on the web want reassurance that others have shared their experiences. Many times, users are contemplating important decisions. To understand if they are making the right decision, they often want to go beyond facts. They want to know if it “feels” right.” Read full article

They used the example of The University of Northern Iowa putting “profiles” of students on their site. You can read what it is like to be a student at this school. This “reassures” people visiting the site and helps them to connect with the experience. I think that it would be huge for us (Campus Crusade Internet Ministry) to create this “inukshuk” content for students considering summer projects, students participating in Student2Student, and potential student leaders to launch new campus ministries through GodSquad.com.