During a one-week workshop with the social design studio Muzus, I explored how design can foster meaningful interactions between strangers. Working alongside a multidisciplinary team, we developed an installation that aimed to make people feel seen, heard — and curious about each other. The experience not only deepened my understanding of social design, but also reminded me how thoughtful design can quietly transform everyday moments.
I was teamed with Ruth, a UX researcher. We were tasked with going out onto the streets to gather the public’s ideas about what constitutes a meaningful encounter.
Our first street interview revealed that people prefer talking about their loved ones rather than themselves. It also highlighted a shared human experience—the presence of someone special in our lives unites us.
Building on our takeaways, we planned a street installation where we invite strangers to record a message for someone special in their life. This message is then played for the next stranger, creating a chain of shared personal connections.
The results exceeded expectations. People ended up relating to complete strangers, and no matter how different they were, their appreciation for special people created a connection. This resulted in a chain of meaningful experiences.
Unarguably, the best and coolest part was seeing our takeaways translated into one of the installations at DDW ‘24. I had the pleasure of volunteering as a host and witnessing people interact with all our creations. Later that week, I made an unexpected friend while engaging with the exhibition, and we’re still in contact today. One interesting takeaway was observing how a common topic could inspire so many different experiences—not only influenced by the people surveyed but also shaped by those behind the project.
Thank you!
And, of course, I would like to thank the team at Muzus and everyone who participated in the workshop. The project wouldn’t have progressed so smoothly without the incredible people behind it.