We are MIT : a video-based system for a more positive and connected MIT

Abstract

MIT students go through the same daily routines, barely branching out to explore the broader MIT or learn from and collaborate with students from other fields. There are, however, proven benefits to participating in diverse social groups, as shown by sociologist Ronald Burt and others. We can help MIT students diversify their social groups by creating opportunities for lightweight, yet meaningful interactions across MIT subgroups. I designed and built a video-based system, "We are MIT," to facilitate more cross-group interactions. The video-based system, "We are MIT," consists of a physical video booth and a website. I outline design assumptions, design principles, and how I built the video booth and the website. Next, discuss lessons from three core iterations of the system, from a most basic prototype to an online video contest. A total of 17 MIT community members recorded or submitted videos for "We are MIT."