New Understandings of Design and Social Interaction based on Norm-Critical Perspectives Sofia Lundmark Södertörn University/Uppsala University sofia.lundmark@sh.se Maria Normark Visiting researcher at Mobile Life VINN Excellence Centre/ Södertörn University maria.normark@sh.se Abstract. Critical perspectives are rare in human-computer-interaction (HCI) research. Although digital artifacts constitute a fundamental part of the contemporary lifestyle it is seldom discussed how the use of such objects affect the way we understand the world. We propose a new concept, norm- critical design, in which the unit of analysis is the interaction design consisting of technology, interaction, images, sounds, text and how they together construct meaning. We argue that there is a need to unpack how digital design embeds norms and to examine how the relationship between norms and design can be critically examined. The discussion in this paper is based on two different empirical studies. First we will discuss how normative structures are present in the image blog site bilddagboken.se The other empirical material that we discuss is a case study of the design work in a youth counselling site in Sweden (umo.se). The case study gives examples of how different design elements are used in the design and development of websites in order to create a norm-critical experience for the users. We describe how these concerns affect the design outcome in the development of an animation about love. Introduction A little more than a decade ago the influential book ‘Sorting Things Out: Classification and Its Consequence’ came out (Bowker & Star, 2000). It discussed the way that classification schemes are organized and embedded into objects that gives shape to the categories that people make. One study shows the separation of races during apartheid in South Africa that did not yield for splitting up families based on skin tone or curliness of the hair. A number of objects were developed to perform these classifications of races. By embedding the classifications in objects, Bowker and Star argued that the classification became invisible in the standards that were developed in the arrangements for upholding a certain classification.