The Creative Possibilities when Designing for Conversations

How can we design social media according to an intended conversational culture? Trolling and polarized opinions in social media and commenting fields is still a challenge for online newspapers and social media providers. This presentation will give designers tools to become aware of how they shape peoples’ expectations to a social media space – and in particular: how you can see creative possibilities and influence how people talk together online. It is based on my design-based PhD, where I have studied the designers’ creative possibilities in shaping social media and how people can express themselves. What are the designed social media “ingredients” you as a designer can challenge to shape culture? Can the designer influence what people say in social media through reward systems, conversational architecture, typography, invitation model, and choice of input options? What is the designer’s role in shaping these conversational spaces; how does the designers background, experiences and inspirational sources affect their ways of designing for conversations and expressions? And lastly; how can social media designs be inspired by dignified roman cathedrals that encourages quietness and reflection, or relaxed cafés with bean bags for chairs, that encourages a relaxed and informal space?