Design games as a tool, a mindset and a structure Kirsikka Vaajakallio

or revelations may emerge. These insights direct the argumentations over
interesting topics and design drivers for further exploration.
Providing a particular vocabulary for the Play framework
The examples have explicitly pointed out certain underlying reasons for
the game metaphor in design but given only few clues of what the relaxed
play atmosphere the metaphor seems to denote could mean. They leave
open questions such as: How is the atmosphere generated? Is the concept of
games that everyone is, familiar with enough for that, as many authors propose?
So far, it seems that design games and games in, for example, Salen
and Zimmerman’s (2004) terms, are similar but in many central ways not
identical, thus potentially confusing the participants instead of guiding
them into the “right” mood. Therefore, I find the roots of the play atmosphere,
and thus the play-qualities, worth further study, to learn how they
could be materialized in co-design.
By using metaphors, researchers can direct peoples’ attention towards
the things they want to underline. For example, a theatre metaphor
invites comments on scenery, wings, props, lights, costumes, actors,
instructor, audience, experience, performance, applause, show,
etc. (Darsø 2004, p 80). Moreover, it “sparks a different tone, ambience
and visual image than would a war metaphor” (ibid.). The same goes
with the game metaphor in co-design: it evokes a certain image and
certain expectations for the participants already before the game has
started. Therefore, I find it important to draw more attention to the
concepts we use. As was indicated through the examples above, confusion
over what is meant by the design games may arise since the term
is used in connection with several activities which, in the first glance,
seem to be quite distinct from each other. I have come across this especially
when teaching MA industrial design students at the Aalto University
School of Arts, Design and Architecture.
One reason for the fuzzy terminology is the lack of frameworks that
would clearly address the underlying play-qualities that are embedded in
the activities labelled design games. To understand what actually makes
a design game, we need to explicate the core identity of them. For the
purposes mentioned above, I will continue developing the Play framework
in the next sections based on what already has been discussed, adding
ideas from selected studies on games, play and performances. The
objective is to pinpoint the relationship between the play-qualities and
design as they emerge in the design games that aim at supporting early
concept design and dialogue between several actors.
112