Designing for the Metaverse. In conversation with Matt Wade.

Watch the 5 minute film…

Things to notice, understand and consider…

“There will be a place that will be a world of connected experiences that will have dynamic situations in there and a complexity of interconnected experiences. There will be things that happen in the real world, for example the exchange of information and so on that have patterns that we recognise from the existing world, spatial patterns but also patterns of interaction. There will be places that provide the opportunity to buy things, so economic opportunities but these will also be underpinned by politics, education and so on.”

What is your understanding of what Matt is describing?

Fiction shaping fact.
Matt talks about a world being shaped by fictional visions and the opportunity that this is creating for designers. What do you think he means by this?

Preferable futures.
Matt talks about the opportunity for designers to provide a vision for these engineers to create a preferable future. What do you think is the difference between probable futures, and a preferable future?

Tools.
Our tools shape what we make, and if these tools are shaped by a corporation this has significant implications. Matt questions the wisdom of allowing this new world to be created by a limited number of tools and platforms. Do you agree? What tools do you think will be used to shape the Metaverse?

Language.
Matt talks about the grammar & syntax of design and how we might build a language for new kinds of creation. What do you think Matt means when he talks about the importance of language in building this new world? Why would it be important to create a common language, when we talk about the Metaverse?

Reduction, simplicity and hierarchy.
These are traditional principles of design but why would they be important in shaping the Metaverse?

Order and meaning.
What we already know about design could be massively influential to shaping a Metaverse that is preferable from a citizens’ perspective.

“Design is a conscious effort to impose a meaningful order.” Victor Papanak

Who is Victor Papanak and why is he relevant here?

A connected world.
Why would it be important not to think about the Metaverse as an escape hatch? Why does it need to connect to our world?

Questions to answer / things to follow up…
Can you identify some creative principles that would be useful when designing in the Metaverse from your perspective? Do you share his optimism for a new world that will improve this one?

Post your thoughts in the comments section below…