Meaningful Inefficiencies: Incorporating play and care into the design of socio-technical systems

Public trust in the institutions that mediate civic life — from governing bodies to newsrooms — is low, and many organizations assume that greater efficiency will build trust. As a result, these organizations are quick to adopt new technologies to enhance what they do. However, efficiency, in the sense of charting a path to a goal with the least amount of friction, is not typically built on a foundation of trust.

In this talk, Dr. Gordon will introduce the concept of meaningful inefficiencies, which is the deliberate design of less efficient over more efficient means to achieve some ends for the purpose of building or repairing trust with publics. Inspired by game design, meaningful inefficiencies are systems with clear goals and feedback with space for meaningful play. He will explore how practitioners (from government to health care providers and journalists) are creating meaningful inefficiencies to invite a diversity of publics to participate in governance or narrative setting. And now in the context of a global pandemic, where social connectivity is entirely mediated, he will highlight how practitioners are inventing new tactics for creating these playful and care-ful spaces.

Bio: Eric Gordon is a professor of civic design and the director of the Engagement Lab at Emerson College in Boston. His research focuses on the transformation of public life and governance in digital culture, and the incorporation of play into collaborative design processes. He has served as an expert advisor for local and national governments, as well as NGOs around the world, designing responsive processes that help organizations transform to meet their stated values. He has created over a dozen games for public sector use and advised organizations on how to build their own inclusive and meaningful processes. He is the author of two books about media and cities: The Urban Spectator (2010) and Net Locality: Why Location Matters in a Networked World (2011). He is the editor of Civic Media: Technology, Design, Practice (MIT Press, 2016). And his new book, Meaningful Inefficiencies: Civic Design in an Age of Digital Expediency is out now from Oxford University Press.