Intent: research
Executive summary (3 findings)
- Accuracy is the first UX requirement: names, ranks, branches, and eras must be verifiable.
- Families browse by era and conflict: navigation needs structured “service era” and “branch” filters.
- Respectful design is quiet design: avoid gimmicks; invest in readability, photo quality, and consistency.
Methodology
This use-case brief synthesizes military recognition patterns and related HallOfFameWall guides:
- Military wall of honor
- Veterans Day military wall of honor recognition
- Recognizing military veterans: digital vs traditional
Key findings
- Insight: Service records require verification workflows.
- Evidence: The highest-risk errors (rank, branch, spelling) typically come from informal sources.
- Implication: Store source provenance and implement a review step before publishing.
- Insight: Families need multiple ways to find a person.
- Evidence: Visitors often search by last name, but also browse by era/branch.
- Implication: Support both search and structured browsing.
Data visualization: profile fields (table)
| Field | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name (display) | Yes | Decide suffix rules |
| Branch | Yes | Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force |
| Service era | Recommended | Use consistent era definitions |
| Rank (at discharge) | Optional | Verify if displayed |
| Unit / role | Optional | Keep concise |
| Years of service | Optional | If published, verify |
| Photo | Recommended | Use high-resolution scans |
| Source | Recommended | Program records, archives, family submission |
Data visualization: browse paths (ASCII)
Browse
├─ Era (WWII / Korea / Vietnam / Gulf War / OEF-OIF / ...)
├─ Branch
├─ Service type (Active / Reserve / Guard) [optional]
└─ Honors (Purple Heart / Gold Star families / ...) [optional]
Search
└─ Last name / first name / graduation year (if applicable)
Requirements checklist
- Verification
- Source tracking and an approval workflow
- Change history (who edited what, when)
- Respectful presentation
- Consistent formatting; avoid “novelty UI”
- Typography optimized for standing viewers
- Accessibility
- High contrast, clear navigation, touch target sizing
- Operations
- Submission intake form (family → staff review → publish)
- Annual additions and corrections process
What this means for schools
If your wall of honor is for a community, build the pipeline around it:
- Create a “corrections path” that is visible and easy.
- Define era taxonomy once, then reuse it forever.
- Prioritize photos: respectful recognition is often photo-first.
Recommended next reads
- How to preserve community history with digital displays
- America 250 museum history touchscreen displays guide
CTA
- Primary: Request a research briefing.
- Secondary: See the platform behind the data.
- Relevant Rocket PDP: Digital Hall of Fame platform overview
