In Class Exercise IV-A: Love Letter to an Overlooked Object

tl;dr: Explore your affect and relationship with objects beyond their functional and material qualites by writing a love letter to an overlooked everyday object. Explore insights about people value and expect from the objects in their everyday lives

Learning Objective

During this exercise students will explore their emotional affinity for products by externalizing a relationship with that object. By the end of this exercise, students will:

• have written a short narrative exploring moments of connection with a product (use, desire, delight, infatution, etc.)

• have reflected on their own personal affinity for objects and devices

Time Required

15 minutes - 30 minutes

Materials

• A single sheet of paper

• A pen

• Nice handwriting

Instructions

1: Identify

Quickly brainstorm objects that you have an emotional relationship with or affinity for. To do this you can

1. Make a rapid fire list of objects in your home (or by room)
2. Mentally revisit your daily routines and list the objects you use and encouter during them
3. Make a matrix on a sheet of paper and list:

• 5 non-electronic objects you love.
• 5 electronic objects you love
• 5 non-electronic objects you hate.
• 5 electronic objects you hate

From them select a non-digital object you love or hate

Part 2: Write

Write a short love letter to this object Alternatively write a breakup letter.

For the love letter: focus on what elicits moments of delight, infatution, and loyalty to the object. Reminisce about the moment you fell in love with the object or how it won your affections over all the competing objects in your life? What has the relationship been like?

For the breakup letter: focus on what made the relationship turn sour? Why did you abandon it? What happened to make you reject it? How long did that take to happen? What were the consequences for you?

Part 3: Share and Reflect

Share your letter with the group.

Reflect on what insights it reveals about your relationship with objects

Submitting your work:

Capture your ideas with a photo and Post in the #projects channel on Slack. Include a write up/summary of your discussion and photos of your brainstorming work / process.