Post by Ding Lin

My final report for the Digital Innovation and Strategy (MBUA 531) course at Victoria University of Wellington was selected as one of the top reports and will be shared with the client team. ✨ ✨ It’s a meaningful milestone for me not only academically, but also personally. Before coming to New Zealand, I worked on multiple government projects in Taiwan as a freelance content writer and editor. Those experiences shaped how I think about public sector communication, problem framing, and translating complex ideas into clear narratives. Here in New Zealand, I’ve been fortunate to continue exploring this space through the ANZAC Stories project with Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga and National Library of New Zealand. ANZAC Stories is a digital engagement prototype designed for children aged 9–13, using authentic archival and library material to help younger audiences explore ANZAC history through storytelling, quizzes, and interactive elements. 👉 ANZAC Stories: https://lnkd.in/e69sdJcg My report examines how ANZAC Stories can responsibly scale from a successful prototype into a broader History Explorer platform. While the prototype creates strong public value and aligns with ANL’s mandate, scaling requires platform ownership, editorial consistency, cultural care, and clear decision rules for responsible AI use. At the same time, I’m also writing articles for a Taiwanese publication that provides extra‑curricular reading resources for junior high school students. This project brings me back to my roots in content design and storytelling. Across these experiences, from public sector work to history education, and from New Zealand to Taiwan, I’m learning how meaningful it is to build bridges between people who care about public value, history, and culture. Thank you to Sam Minchin and Mark Crookston from the client team for their feedback, insights, and constructive discussions during the project. I am also deeply grateful to Jocelyn Cranefield and Steve Zhu for their dedicated teaching and guidance across the trimester. To my teammates Yusuf A., Aditi Tiwari, and Jamie McGregor, I really enjoyed working with you all and discussing the project together! Feeling grateful for every opportunity and keen to keep contributing to work that creates impact! 😀