From Breakage to Icebreaker: Inspiration for Designing Technological Support for Human-Human Interaction

ABSTRACT

This paper explores why and how accidental breakage of technologies can promote humans to interact and ultimately lead to positive behavioral, emotional, and relational change. Through a set of research activities, including meta-synthesis of daily anecdotes, design workshops, and a case study, we gain insights into what may hinder or trigger human-human communication, and propose the conceptual and actionable process of Breakage-to-Icebreaker (B2I) design. Instead of intentionally breaking a technology, B2I design embeds mechanisms into existing products and services, creating opportunities for users to interpersonally interact online and/or offline while enjoying the original features and functionalities. Finally, we envision a broader and extended use of B2I thinking in everyday design research and practices.

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Index Terms

• Human-centered computing