Piece By Piece

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Designers

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The connection game meant to cut out the small talk to help individuals connect piece by piece.

Designers

Caitlin Cho

Key Words

SUMMARY

Social interactions and our human capacity to connect are such fascinating aspects of life. However, I've always been curious about how post-graduates are able to forge new connections. From Pre-K to College, our lives have been immersed in environments that promote social interaction. My research delved into why building these connections is crucial. Through this, I discovered the inherent social nature of humans, a trait wired into us from our ancestors. As the saying goes, 'strength in numbers.' Without these connections, we feel vulnerable, leading to loneliness, anxiety, and/or depression, impacting not only our mental but also our physical well-being.

challenge

Focusing on post-grad individuals, they have spent their whole lives seeing the same group of people almost every single day. With this, one would hopefully make at least some connections during their primary education journey. Suddenly, it all gets stripped away—the connections you grew up with, the people you saw almost every single day on a similar journey, are suddenly gone. Some move on to new jobs, find new partners, and new priorities seep into their adult lives, all while still processing growing up. As we get older, the people around us seem to become more closed off. There is such little opportunity to meet new people, let alone even figure out where to start.

Outcome

Piece By Piece offers individuals a chance to rediscover the excitement of meeting new people. Facilitating connections through curated questions that delve into various subjects such as humor, stories, background, values, and morals—essentially, what we need to know to truly connect with someone. Our role is to bring together individuals who share the same enthusiasm and motivation for meeting new people. As participants engage with the cards, they contribute to assembling a collective puzzle, fostering teamwork towards a common goal. Through collaboration, a shared group identity emerges, solidifying connections formed during the event. I hope this initiative encourages others to take the first step in building meaningful connections.