'Talking Things': Bridging Social Capital through Transformation Design

The importance of building social capital, particularly in urban neighbourhoods has been a topic of discussion for sociologists, political scientists and psychologists for some time now. This thesis addresses the issue through the lens of an emergent branch of design known as Transformation Design, which focuses on collaborative and multidisciplinary ways of creating a change in behavior through design. Employing participatory methods and borrowing from theories of narrative empathy and Thing theory, this thesis describes a praxis centred around the design of an experience where the exchange of narratives around everyday objects of personal significance creates a dialogic learning experience that builds social capital. The resulting project, Talking Things, is a toolkit that is intended to encourage dialogues amongst members at community centres and neighbourhood houses, but can be adapted and employed in other circumstances where the goal is to build a sense of belonging and community. The toolkit describes a workshop with step-by-step instructions to prompt and facilitate the exchange of narratives. Though the primary objective is to engage people in an informal, collaborative learning experience, the stories can be recorded and have an online presence that sustains the conversations. This thesis contributes to the growing discourse of the designer’s role within a community, which stretches beyond the designing of places and things; and into an agent of change.