OneTrace
'Protect what you've built
and pass it to the right hands'
OneTrace is a digital legacy planning platform that helps content creators manage their social media accounts, income, and digital assets after death. The system allows users to organize digital properties, assign beneficiaries, and define how their online identity and revenue should be handled in the future.
UX Design/ Service Design
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Academic Project
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June 2025 - December 2025 / University of North Texas
Context
As social media becomes a major source of identity and income, many creators rely on their accounts as both personal archives and financial assets. However, most platforms offer limited options for what happens to these accounts after death, often leaving families without clear access or guidance. Research indicates that most users have not prepared any plan for managing their digital footprint, creating uncertainty around ownership, privacy, and revenue continuation.
Project Detail
Methods: Desk research/ User research/ Ideate/ Wireframing/ Prototyping/ Stakeholder analysis/ Service blueprint/ Experiments
Tools: Figma/ Figjam/ Mural/ Google Suite/ Adobe Illustrator/ Qualtrics/ Tally Forms/ Facebook page/
Key Research Insights
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Creators want control but lack tools.
Many participants want to manage their social media accounts after death but do not know how to plan or organize their digital assets.
Method: Survey (75 participants) -
Social media accounts are both emotional and financial assets.
Creators see their accounts as personal memories and income-generating properties.
Method: Creator interviews (4 participants) -
Families are often unprepared to manage digital accounts.
Many people do not know how to access or manage a loved one’s online accounts after death.
Methods: Survey + literature review -
Privacy concerns delay planning.
Creators hesitate to create digital legacy plans because they fear exposing sensitive or private content.
Methods: Interviews + academic research review
Key Experiment Learnings
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Awareness must come before action.
Many creators were not actively looking for digital legacy tools, indicating the need for educational onboarding.
Method: Fake landing page test -
Trust signals increase willingness to share data.
Participants were more comfortable linking accounts when security and credible partnerships were visible.
Methods: Survey + landing page test -
Creators and beneficiaries share similar priorities.
Both groups value security and clear instructions but focus on different concerns.
Method: Card-sorting activity -
Flexible pricing improves adoption.
Users showed interest in both subscription and one-time payment options.
Method: Feature–price survey
Design Question
'How might we help people content creators with digital legacy planning?'
Design Principles
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Prominent Awareness
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Emotional Sensitivity
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Ensure Gentle Guidance
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Structure Lightweight
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Smooth Transition
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Privacy first
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Emphasize Transparency and Accountability
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Empower Own Choice and Control
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Position Neutrality
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System Sustainability
The solution: OneTrace
OneTrace is a digital legacy planning platform that helps content creators organize and manage their social media assets for the future. The platform guides users through linking their accounts, identifying income sources, assigning trusted beneficiaries, and defining privacy preferences for their digital content.
Through a structured dashboard and guided setup process, creators can create a legacy plan that protects their digital identity, ensures income continuity, and enables a secure transfer of account management to designated beneficiaries.
Revenue Steam
CURRENT MODEL
Builds early trust and proof of value through direct user adoption.
Individual creators purchase OneTrace through a one-time payment or a subscription for income and privacy protection.
Similar to:
SCALING MODEL
License to Estate & Legacy Services
Integrate OneTrace as a digital asset management layer for major providers or tech companies
Potential buyers:
Platform Extensions & Subscriptions
Offer as a plugin or premium feature within creator platforms
Potential buyers:
Partnership Strategy
LEGACY & INSURANCE COMPANIES
Bundle OneTrace with physical estate or digital insurance packages for hybrid protection.
LOCAL ATTORNEYS & ESTATES ADVISORS
Collaborate to provide verified guidance and legal integration for digital asset transfer.
Reflection
This project taught me that designing for digital legacy is not only a technical challenge but also an emotional one. Many creators want to protect their digital assets but hesitate due to privacy concerns and discomfort discussing death. Through research and experiments, I learned the importance of building trust, providing clear guidance, and designing a system that balances emotional sensitivity with practical asset management.