Serendipity Protocol (series)
Increasing the likelihood of serendipitous events
In this series, I will share some perspectives, patterns and practices on serendipity. This work should lead to the fourth p, protocols.
Protocols are sets of rules or design features that influence the emergence of coordinated behavior. In the case of serendipity, such coordination is not only inter-personal but often intra-personal. We coordinate the interaction between our past, present and future selves. In both inter- and intra-personal cases, the coordination is mediated by the environment we interact with.
My quest is driven by the belief that digital, workspace and urban environments can be designed to increase the likelihood of unexpected, beneficial discoveries and encounters. These affordances and rules should stimulate unusual combinations and influence behaviors, both to provoke serendipitous events and to attune attention so these events are noticed.
Published so far:
Serendipity for Serendipity
It all started with frustration, which motivated efforts to find a solution. The solution worked. More than that, it turned out to be an occasional generator of serendipity events. Serendipity wasn't rare in my life. What was different this time was that it caused a serendipitous episode about serendipity itself—about making serendipity happen more freq…
Penny, Path, and Pair
Serendipity revolves around a single unexpected event or a series of events that, when linked in hindsight, make up a serendipity story.
The Rea Model
Some stars need to align for serendipity to happen. We can't know which stars or when they will align, but we can imagine what kind of stars are needed.
Random, Living, Error
Serendipity is the relationship between a surprise and a beneficial outcome. The source of surprise can be something random, leaving, or an error. It can also be all three at once, like when we spill coffee on a stranger, and this leads to something good.
Graph Pruning
Cleaning your home often turns up things you’ve spent hours searching for, but tending your garden can lead to even bigger surprises.
Graph Pruning (Part 2)
What does it take for a pruning routine to turn your personal knowledge graph into a reliable serendipity generator? Two conditions are certain. First, you need a lush digital garden where you spend significant time. Second, you need to experiment with graph pruning until you find the right quantity and frequency. Yet, these conditions may not be sufficient.