Chance Shermet
Objects of Discussion
What if objects in our spaces helped us listen more actively?
What if in the next ten years, all coffee shops did away with Wifi and revived the coffee house culture of discussion from centuries ago?
They might be filled with new objects that support listening, opening up or having discussion.This speculative design project gives insight into a future where these objects exist, imagining what they might look like and how they might support active listening in a culture that has collectively shifted away from sharing their perspectives in digital space.
Insight
While it’s no surprise that body language and tone are essential for effective communication, research shows that it can also affect your receptiveness as a listener. Additionally, asking effective “listening questions” is an often-overlooked active-listening skill. The right questions can foster curiosity, understanding and attentiveness.
Idea
The Mutual table intuitively encourages users to sit with arms open with its shapely grooves carved from the surface. The Quo-sters are designed to help users ask thoughtful questions as a way of building curiosity and motivation to understand the message, providing a means of assessment and feedback into listening or speaking skills throughout the conversation in a non-confrontational way. Meanwhile, the position and movements of the Scribble mug translate and express both the speaker and the listener’s mood. After the interactions and discussion are over, users write their reflections and exchange coasters.
Impact
By developing our active listening skills, we can improve personal and professional relationships, ultimately reducing partisanship and building empathy for “other” perspectives.
Biography
I am a Toronto-based artist & designer studying industrial design at OCAD University. Working with various materials I create intriguing, thoughtful and original products bridging across art, objects, spaces and visuals.
My inspiration comes from morphing human culture and behavior, and our relationship with the natural and built world. My goal is to depict futures with a timeless quality, in critique of the social, existential and environmental issues we face.