Objectify me

Jyri Engeström has a presentation on social objects. Social objects are "stuff" - photos, music files, blog posts, SMS messages. They are the things we exchange for practical outcomes and in order to maintain our social relationships with others.

Social objects remind me of the "boundary objects" than Denham Grey outlines. Boundary objects are narrower in scope as they allow different groups to communicate with each other where as Jyri's social objects could mediate between those who know each other well.

The point that relationships without social objects are more fragile than those that have them is an astute one. But it's only half the story.

If you take a value networks perspective to this, you realise that relationships involve the exchange of tangibles and intangibles. Social objects (text, bits, sounds) are examples of tangible exchanges but intangibles are also exchanged in the process (trust, understanding, knowledge). Modelling the exchanges of tangible social objects and intangibles together gives you a better od idea of the state of your network. It may even be possible to get participants to identify the intangibles themselves in social exchange applications as part of the the exchange itself ("hey that was really helpful, let's do this again").

Props: Hugh MacLeod