A ritual is a set of actions prescribed by a religion or community tradition that are performed for symbolic significance rather than arbitrarily or due to logic/chance/necessity. Rituals are part of cultural/religious practices as well as modern life and are found in consumer products. The document questions how to design objects and services that encourage people's innate engagement with ritual.

1. Design
for Ritual
Matt Nish-Lapidus / @emenel
www.emenel.ca
http://www.flickr.com/photos/apophysis_rocks/873534554

2. A ritual is a set of actions,
performed mainly for their symbolic
value, which is prescribed by a
religion or by the traditions of a
community. The term usually
excludes actions which are
arbitrarily chosen by the performers,
or dictated purely by logic,
chance, necessity, etc..

3. Cultural and
Religious Ritual

4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/83108565@N00/37390931/

5. http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035555243@N01/78394477/

6. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ionushi/521130442/

7. Modern Ritual

8. http://www.flickr.com/photos/larskflem/173111961/

9. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bpuppy/198462342/

10. http://www.flickr.com/photos/elainasblueprint/496839081

11. Ritual in
Consumer Products

12. http://www.flickr.com/photos/gelund/1368300390/

13. http://www.flickr.com/photos/activitystory/90533822/

14. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ekilby/4040220060

15. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_scoggins/351091159

16. http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkh4m/3039691490/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkh4m/3039691646

17. The big question
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/12364944

18. http://www.flickr.com/photos/maddox/6719520

19. http://www.flickr.com/photos/96dpi/817415030

20. Ritual is part of us.
How do we design objects and
services that encourage people
to engage that part of themselves?
Thanks!
@emenel
www.emenel.ca