There have been a lot of changes in religion lately. The growth of secular humanistic religions
strikes me as a big one. It is not an oxymoron; there are some very spiritual
movements that promote a system of morality while remaining mute on the issue
of a supreme being. Whether you choose to
refer to it as religion or not, there is certainly a parallel.
But that is not my topic today. I am more interested in the application of
fundamental user experience design to enhance the practice of religion.
Let me explain.
How about a pop-up store?
You have probably heard about other pop-up stores: retailers,
restaurants, salons, and so on. Why not
one focused on religion. A company
called The Kitchen, with a little help from design firm IDEO, created a Jewish
themed pop-up with religious products and kosher food for sale. And a food truck attachment for real time
meal service. And a rabbi on hand to
give advice and answer questions.
Convenient, simple, and flexible. Perfect for the millennial generation.
How about religious games that leverage mobile technology
and target the digital natives that are straying from organized religion? Are
you familiar with geocached scavenger hunts?
A host hides items in the real world and sends out clues by text
message. Whoever finds them all wins. Another model is that if you find an item you
become “it” and have to hide something else and become the host for the next
round. When you add the religious theme
on top, you create a fun experience that engages the user in some form of
religious practice.
What about a take on the card games that are becoming
popular (such as Cards Against Humanity or Metagame)? Another idea from The Kitchen has two decks.
One deck is made of ritual cards that lead a group through a religious ritual.
The second are action cards that add some fun and dynamism to the ritual. Participants play the cards and mix things up
a bit. Perhaps less devout, but a more
engaging user experience in the practice of the ritual – and the religion.
In just a few years, we have created millions of apps,
available on IOS, Android, and Windows.
Why not focus just a little of this talent on religion (or spirituality
if you prefer)? If we bypass the
bureaucratic layer of organized religion that creates most of the downsides
(religious wars, conflicts, Inquisitions, scandals, etc), we can create
versions that support the good components of religious practice (community,
spirituality, philanthropy) without the bad.
