I’m excited but still somewhat churlish about posting this, the obligatory Vote for Me at SXSW! post. But I think there could be some great insights to come out of this event. It seems that time for the industry. Time for a bit of critical thinking and deeper investigation.
As many of you know from talking to me, my take on social interaction design is as much sociological as it is design. I’ll be presenting (given the chance) an overview of core concepts and insights, key questions and issues, and examples.
I’m hoping that by the time the panel comes around a number of us will have had a chance to blog and talk on this topic. My sense is that a number of us recognize that designs, features, architecture, and other tools in the designer’s toolbox cannot explain or structure the social alone. That the interaction is not between user and screen but user and user. The timing feels right for a deeper look at what drives social media participation.
Core concepts:
- A critique of cognitively-based ideas of the user and the user’s behavior in favor of social action and communication
- User centric and psychologically-oriented emphasis on accommodating and understanding multiple user types
- A view of social dynamics and how some user types might work well together
- A look at paired and triangulated interactions
- The reflective and imaginary properties of the screen: how it is we see ourselves being seen by others, and project ourselves into those we see only an image of
- Definitions of user acts and actions, social actions, interactions, and communication
- A look at transactional and conversational forms, including gestural, symbolic, reciprocated, and other kinds of social and economic exchanges
- The impact of conversational media and the use of talk itself as a medium of distribution and circulation
There will be more. I’m hoping to provide examples, and offer good stuff to practitioners along with the concepts.
And here are some other panels I’m hoping to see at SXSW. I know these folks but that’s not why I’ve listed them ;-).
Thanks for the vote, and don’t hesitate to retweet!
- Social Design for Enterprise 2.0 Adina Levin
- The Right Way to Wireframe Russ Unger, with Will Evans, Fred Beecher, Todd Zaki Warfel
- How Screenwriting and Film Theory Creates Enchanting Websites Michael Leis
- The Community is Dead, Long Live the Community Carla Borsoi
- Practical Digital Anthropology: Getting to Know Your Users Marc Vermut
- SocialMania: Designing Social Interfaces – The Game Erin Malone
- Social Search: A Little Help from my Friends Brynn Evans
- Digital Ethnography: Gathering Insights in the Digital Landscape Guthrie Dolin