9/11 Twenty-Year Remembrance Video

Narrative design, stakeholder collaboration, and shaping complex historical and organizational messaging into a cohesive story. 

Context & Constraints

This project focused on creating an internal remembrance video for IBM employees working in the government contracting sector. The video was intended to be shown during a company-wide all-hands meeting marking the twentieth anniversary of September 11, 2001.

The purpose of the video was threefold: to acknowledge and remember the events of 9/11, to provide brief historical context on how those events led to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and its component agencies, and to highlight the establishment of the Victim Compensation Fund. The video also needed to connect these elements to IBM’s ongoing work supporting DHS and the VCF, reinforcing a renewed call to action requested by leadership.

Because the video was scheduled as part of a live all-hands meeting, timing was a strict constraint. The total runtime needed to fit within a ten-minute window that included both the video and a brief live callout.

The Core Problem

While leadership had a clear request to include a 9/11 remembrance segment in the all-hands meeting, the initial materials were unstructured and lacked a cohesive narrative. The stakeholder had collected source content and had a general sense of what needed to be included, but there was no clear plan for how to organize the information or deliver a message that was both respectful and meaningful.

The challenge was to transform a collection of ideas and materials into a single, coherent story that balanced remembrance, historical context, and organizational relevance—without overwhelming the audience or diminishing the sensitivity of the subject matter.

Design Goals

Given the live all-hands setting and the number of voices involved, I advocated for a pre-recorded video rather than a live presentation. This approach allowed for a polished, thoughtfully paced delivery while ensuring the content remained within the allotted time.

From a storytelling perspective, the primary goal was to center the video on remembrance and personal reflection rather than positioning IBM as the focal point. The intent was to lead with human impact and historical context, then naturally connect to IBM’s involvement in supporting affected agencies and programs.

Accessibility presented additional constraints. While captions were not prioritized by stakeholders, I focused on ensuring clear audio, balanced music levels, and clean transitions. To support employees with audio impairments, I also provided the full script with timestamps in the all-hands chat as the video began, allowing viewers to follow along in real time.

Design Approach

I began by meeting with the stakeholder to determine scope, review available materials, and confirm deadlines. During this conversation, I drafted an initial storyboard in Mural to establish a clear narrative arc and identify where different voices and segments would fit.

As additional source videos and materials were submitted, the storyboard was refined and expanded. The first cut of the video established the overall structure and tone, which was then iteratively refined through multiple rounds of stakeholder feedback. Adjustments focused on pacing, transitions between speakers, audio leveling, and the balance between music and narration.

Midway through development, I created two alternate narrative versions to test tone and emphasis. Stakeholder feedback indicated that one version felt overly preachy, while the second better aligned with the intended message. Option 2 was selected and became the foundation for further refinement.

Throughout the process, I incorporated detailed feedback from multiple reviewers, including adjusting transitions between segments, extending on-screen text to improve readability, correcting factual inaccuracies related to DHS agencies, and carefully balancing audio levels across externally sourced clips and newly recorded narration. The final cut reflected several rounds of focused iteration, with each change made to improve clarity, flow, and emotional balance.

Key Design Decisions

• Pre-recorded delivery: Ensured a controlled, polished presentation suitable for a live all-hands environment.

• Narrative-first structure: Prioritized remembrance and personal reflection over organizational messaging.

• Iterative refinement: Used multiple cuts and stakeholder feedback to calibrate tone, pacing, and clarity.

• Audio and transition discipline: Carefully balanced music, narration, and visual transitions to maintain focus and respect for the subject matter.

Outcomes & Impact

The final video was well received by leadership and was subsequently shared more broadly with IBM employees beyond the original all-hands audience. Upper management expressed strong positive feedback, and my immediate manager received direct recognition regarding my contribution and willingness to support the project outside of my contracted scope.

For me, the project provided an opportunity to apply instructional design and storytelling skills in a non-training context, reinforcing the importance of narrative structure, pacing, and audience sensitivity. While my professional focus remains on software and product training, this experience strengthened my approach to high-stakes, emotionally driven communication and reaffirmed my interest in supporting similar initiatives when appropriate.