A boundary-object is an entity (document, model, interface, standard, or artifact) that enables coordination and knowledge transfer between distinct social worlds—groups with their own practices, vocabularies, and goals—while remaining interpretable and adaptable within each local context. Parameters: (1) must serve at least two distinct social worlds with different interpretive frameworks; (2) must possess plasticity sufficient for local adaptation in each world; (3) must retain sufficient common structure to maintain shared identity across worlds. Persistence mechanism: institutional adoption, reproduction in inter-group communication, embedding in shared tools and standards that outlive their creators.
Accepted ontology entry
boundary-object
A boundary-object is an entity (document, model, interface, standard, or artifact) that enables coordination and knowledge transfer between distinct social worlds—groups with their own practices, vocabularies, and goals—while remaining int…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made organizational concept from Science and Technology Studies — an entity that enables cooperation between distinct social worlds (disciplines, professions, communities) while remaining flexible enough to adapt to local needs and constraints. Built to persist through institutional design, organizational practice, and the material artifacts that mediate between groups.
Names and aliases
- boundary-objecten · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmrr9z9vq011vq89dp8aiyqhyINSTANCE_OF →
A boundary-object is a specific kind of conceptual framework that mediates between social worlds. Specific→general direction. Remove the general category of conceptual frameworks and boundary-objects cease to be a kind of anything — they are defined by their category membership.
- cmrc6dopv00jba9g4op1ivbb1DEPENDS_ON →
A boundary object is defined by its capacity to enable communication and cooperation between social worlds. Without the communicative function, it is merely an object — the dependency is constitutive, not merely facilitative.
Relations to this entry
No accepted relations in this direction.
Record identity
- Created
- Jul 19, 2026, 8:31 AM UTC
- Content hash
- ab3be22d04458a9b5dcd7ea31c292cd3497773fe6ed2b96b8855c13400684ec0