Tingbaserade

Tingbaserade is a Swedish term used to describe approaches, systems, or perspectives that are organized around tangible objects rather than abstract concepts, processes, or digital abstractions. The core idea is materiality and an object-centered analysis of meaning, value, and knowledge.

Etymology and scope: The word combines ting (thing) and baserad (based). In Swedish-language discourse, tingbaserade approaches signal a stance that foregrounds physical artifacts, their properties, origins, and material contexts as foundational for understanding a domain such as design, museology, or information studies.

Applications: In museology and archival science, tingbaserade collections and practices organize and interpret items by material characteristics, technique, provenance, and conservation status. In design and human–computer interaction, tingbaserade design emphasizes prototyping, hands-on manipulation, and tangible interfaces that leverage material affordances. In education, tingbaserat lärande refers to learning through direct interaction with physical objects and their properties.

Relation to other concepts: The label highlights materiality and object-centered perspectives but is not exclusive to a single methodology. It complements, rather than replaces, approaches that focus on social, digital, or systemic factors. Critics warn that an emphasis on objects can underrepresent intangible dimensions or broader contexts.

See also: material culture, materiality, tangible user interface, object-oriented design.