Overgrowth is an interactive story about the village of Mikołajów, which no longer exists. It remains only in the memories of its former inhabitants. As we listen to them, we are transported to a place filled with neighborly chatter, interrupted by the sounds of heavy machinery. The construction of the Osiek Sulphur Mine prompted an evacuation, scattering those who lived there around the world. And yet, this place will always be home to them. By sharing these stories, we aim to give Mikołajów a new life, to save it from oblivion — and to encourage young people to discover their local histories. The producer of the project is the Film School in Łódź and the Visual Narrative Laboratory VNLab
Some words to start with
This case study was inspired by an illness that gave me time to reflect. I don’t want to use the usual buzzwords about UX methods, design thinking, or agile processes. Instead, I’ll talk about what worked, what didn’t, and what I learned.
It started during my studies when I created an interactive documentary about my village with interface on a cow shape (it was funny how you could click on her patches). Later, I joined an online hackathon, which led me to vnLab and a growing interest in visual storytelling. I recalled memories of Mikołajów (place near to my home countryside), a village that no longer exists due to resettlement. I wanted to understand what happened to the people who lived there.
With friends, I formed the Tarta collective and started this project about mining and displacement. Initially, things went well, but managing the project while working full-time was overwhelming. I tried to juggle everything—writing the script, managing tasks, handling budgets, negotiating with authorities—only to realize later that it was too much. The project was completed, but I wasn’t fully satisfied. It wasn’t clear, and it wasn’t accessible on mobile devices.
My observation
I worked too fast, let details slide, and focused too much on information architecture over storytelling. I wasted time assigning tasks instead of doing my own work. I also didn’t listen enough to others' ideas and wasn’t confident in my decisions.
but thanks to all these things I learned...
Conclusion
...test more with users, trust your team, focus on one task at a time, and don’t try to manage everything alone. Lastly, I learned that 3D elements look great but can heavily impact functionality, especially on mobile. That's why I now recognize the importance of the "user as recipient" perspective, not just in system design, but in art and everyday life too.