THE NOTION OF SELF—SOMETHING long discussed and debated by philosophers, psychologists, and scientists—is now part of the discussion in the user experience design world.

In the social space online, people can declare explicit attributes about themselves and build a rich profile for others to view. Balanced against the reputation a person builds through his actions and words, this profile can give others a sense of who he is. Just by being involved, engaged, and inclusive, people can build a portrait of the self and an identity within the system with which others can interact.

The future of interactive interfaces has been greatly influenced by gaming. Game designers have the liberty to experiment with Darwinian competitive pressures. The ideas they come up with and prove out in the market are setting expectations for a large number of people who might eventually become (or might already be) your users. Gaming techniques have infiltrated even the most benign applications, and understanding their mechanics will help you understand how better to motivate people and give clues for designing in reputation, competition, and social proof.

The next few chapters discuss in depth the patterns and considerations for providing the framework within which a person can engage with a service, build his identity (real or otherwise), assert himself so that others can connect and interact with him, and develop a rich reputation that is built out of his activity within the system.