bricolage

Social Objects and Social Design

A social object is a shared person, thing, idea, event, or activity that gives people a reason to interact. A project, photo, game, class, or tradition can become the point around which a group forms and talks.

The essays below explain the idea, then turn it into a practical design method: define the objects, name the actions people can take around them, and make those objects easy to share.

Read the series

What are Social Objects?

February 22, 2009

Social objects are the reasons people talk to each other. They bind us together and shape our behavior.