About the project

My PhD initiated as a design-PhD, where I investigated the designs of commenting forums in online newspapers and magazines, at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design. As a designer studying creative and communicative possibilities, I have both looked at existing conversational spaces (as I define them), and designed concepts myself that I have studied both in terms of what these spaces communicate, but also in terms of how I as a designer think, act and shape such spaces. The term conversational spaces discusses a broader perspective on social and interactive interfaces than what we today think of as e.g. commenting forums. This is done in order to think creatively about the possibilities of these spaces. Through my research, I have outlined a number of designed "ingredients" or components of such spaces (see the circular model below), where each ingredient can contain a large number of creative possibilities. I argue that the combinations of these creative possibilities shape an holistic space that alters peoples expectations to the space. Each of these choices and their combinations can alter the meaning and peoples expectations to the space, and the conversational culture that arises in the space. I build on pragmatic feministic theories, and argue that the designer's subjective background and experiences in life influences the design of the space.

Keywords

#InteractionDesign #VisualCommunications #ConversationalSpaces #SocialMedia #SocialSemiotics #AutoEthnography #Culture #Communication #PragmaticFeminism #OnlineNewspapers #OnlineMagazines

15-minutes video presentation

See the presentation The Creative Possibilities in Designing for Social Media Conversations at Interaction'18 in Lyon, February 2018:

Slide presenting how we design physical rooms for diverse types of conversations, depending on what we intend with them and the context for such conversations. Such as a confessional that is designed for telling secrets; non-judgemental response, no… — Slide presenting how we design physical rooms for diverse types of conversations, depending on what we intend with them and the context for such conversations. Such as a confessional that is designed for telling secrets; non-judgemental response, no audience and no *user visibility*. Photo by Fredrik Matheson.

I argue that different types of conversations should be designed differently. This argumentative conversation could for example have a reward system that rewarded strong arguments by people who normally would concider themselves far from the values … — I argue that different types of conversations should be designed differently. This *argumentative* conversation could for example have a *reward system* that rewarded strong arguments by people who normally would concider themselves far from the values presented in the argument. This relates to the ideas and strategy behind the space; to elevate and present argumentation from several angles.

Guidelines & propositions

Through my research, I have developed a document intended for designers (and also researchers trying to understand the designs of such spaces) that I have called Guidelines & Propositions in lack of a better term (suggestions?), though it doesn't really contain guidelines, but rather hundreds of questions for the designer to reflect upon. Here are three pages from the first draft of the document (in total about 40 pages). The first page shows the model with "ingredients"/components, and the two next pages shows the elaboration of two of these ingredients. If you are interested in reading more, please contact me as this document is still in its early stages.

Cover page and model with "ingredients" or components wherein each of these has a large number of creative possibilities. Knowledge about users needs and strategy (the ingredients in the middle) can influence the choices in the circle ingredients.

Another page with the ingredient I defined as Conversational Architecture. — Another page with the ingredient I defined as *Conversational Architecture*.

This shows one page from the document, about what I defined as Input Options, one of the ingredients in the model. Each ingredient in the model has one page with questions for the designer. — This shows one page from the document, about what I defined as *Input Options*, one of the ingredients in the model. Each ingredient in the model has one page with questions for the designer.

Slides and images

…that presents bits and pieces of my work:

Compared to physical spaces for conversations, I find that conversational spaces online are little differenciated, facilited for and nudged, like the atmosphere that is provided for by closed dark confessionals and comfy bean bags. — Compared to physical spaces for conversations, I find that conversational spaces online are little differenciated, facilited for and *nudged*, like the atmosphere that is provided for by closed dark confessionals and comfy bean bags.

Traditional commenting forums tend to "default" white and grey,  placed at the bottom page of the article, often rarely read the newspaper– connoting how little important users voices are to newspapers. Could they become more importan… — Traditional commenting forums tend to "default" white and grey, placed at the bottom page of the article, often rarely read the newspaper– connoting how little important users voices are to newspapers. Could they become more important?

My own designs build on the concept of "isolating conversations"–separating topics and ways of talking together into moduls and separate atmospheres; such as this one, presenting emotional reactions to an online newspaper article.

Another module is the argumentative one; where people may argue and rather than having likes and upvotes, the system builds on rewarding people that are open for arguments by people whome they would normally disagree with. — Another module is the *argumentative* one; where people may argue and rather than having *likes* and *upvotes*, the system builds on rewarding people that are open for arguments by people whome they would normally disagree with.

How does the context influence what people say in there? This shows a feministic critical design of a newspaper–designed as if one womans perspective was a majority.

This shows how one ingredient in the circular model above; user visibility, can manifest itself in two very different creative directions that can be nudged and facilitated for; 1) the funny and sharp lion of a debater (fierce and feared) in a provo… — This shows how one *ingredient* in the circular model above; ***user visibility***, can manifest itself in two very different creative directions that can be nudged and facilitated for; 1) the funny and sharp lion of a debater (*fierce and feared*) in a provocative debate, and 2) the serious and formal debater in a nuanced and reflected space..

Publications

Lysbakken, N. (2018) Designed Components of Conversational Spaces. Exploring creative opportunities in social media designs for democratic participation. (Manuscript in preparation)

Lysbakken, N. (2018). Guidelines and Propositions: Creative Possibilities in the Design of Social Media. (Analysis and supplement to exegesis, not a peer reviewed article). Guidelines for designers of social media.

Lysbakken, N. (2018). Spaces that Speak: Exploring Creative Opportunities in the Communication Design of Conversational Spaces. Visible Language, 52(1). In press.

Lysbakken, N. (2017). Beauty or brains, cautious or courageous? Gender and power in online visual designs. Visual essay. In Nordes: Design + Power. Oslo. Retrieved from www.nordes.org/nordes2017. Download the visual essay and see video presentation of this project at superstov.com.

See more information on my Cristin-profile (Norwegian research report register)