<i>Perpetua</i> : a multi-platform system for digital storytelling between grandparents and grandchildren

Purpose Preserving personal and family memories is central to maintaining identity, fostering emotional continuity and strengthening intergenerational bonds, particularly in an era marked by mobility, digitalisation and changing family dynamics. The purpose of this paper is to introduce Perpetua, a multi-platform digital storytelling system developed to enhance intergenerational communication between grandparents and grandchildren. It aims to address challenges posed by geographic dispersion, evolving family structures and technological barriers by enabling the preservation and sharing of personal and family narratives in a meaningful and emotionally resonant way. Design/methodology/approach The system was designed using a participatory design methodology involving older and younger adults in iterative co-design sessions, focus groups and usability testing. The agile development process supported the refinement of functionalities and interface design to ensure accessibility, emotional relevance and ease of use across generations. The platform supports creating, organising and accessing stories in video, audio and image formats via mobile devices and smart TVs. Findings Findings from participatory activities and usability testing highlight a strong preference among older users for asynchronous communication and intuitive, low-pressure interaction modalities. Participants valued themed prompts, multimodal recording options and the emotional connection facilitated by storytelling. The project resulted in several key outputs, including a functioning medium-fidelity prototype, a narrative theme library and a user-friendly interface tailored for intergenerational engagement. Originality/value Perpetua represents an innovative application of digital storytelling to support active ageing, digital inclusion and emotional continuity in intergenerational relationships. By combining participatory design with a focus on emotional design and asynchronous communication, the system offers a novel approach to bridging generational divides through technology.