Design games as a tool, a mindset and a structure Kirsikka Vaajakallio
Design games as a tool, a mindset and a structure Kirsikka Vaajakallio
Design games as a tool, a mindset and a structure Kirsikka Vaajakallio
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in 1) documenting the discussions, 2) exploring alternative solutions, 3) illustrating<br />
the progress, <strong>and</strong> 4) <strong>as</strong> reminder for those who created it. These<br />
all are important <strong>as</strong>pects in supporting the overall purpose of the design<br />
<strong>games</strong> driven co-design that aims at leading to personal discoveries <strong>and</strong><br />
informing the design process. The next sections look more closely into<br />
these two objectives.<br />
According to Br<strong>and</strong>t (2001, p 84), there are three different purposes for<br />
user involvement, which cover other interest groups <strong>as</strong> well: 1) gathering<br />
information for the b<strong>as</strong>is of the development t<strong>as</strong>k, 2) the political need<br />
to involve certain people for the decision-making process, <strong>and</strong> 3) reaching<br />
mutual knowledge between different competencies. In the design <strong>games</strong><br />
driven approach, introduced in the l<strong>as</strong>t chapter, co-design culminates in<br />
two types of co-design gatherings with distinct purposes <strong>and</strong> participants<br />
embracing the overall purpose of the first <strong>and</strong> third points in Br<strong>and</strong>t’s list.<br />
The first co-design gathering puts emph<strong>as</strong>is on mutual learning between<br />
researchers, core development team members <strong>and</strong> decision makers from<br />
the company’s side in creating a common vision for the coming project.<br />
It touches upon the first purpose by considering participants <strong>as</strong> relevant<br />
experts by holding information about the company’s needs <strong>and</strong> desired<br />
goals <strong>and</strong> the ways of achieving them. However, possible users or interest<br />
groups are not yet present at this stage.<br />
The second gathering exp<strong>and</strong>s the number <strong>and</strong> variety of participants by<br />
involving people outside the core project team attending the first gathering.<br />
The people invited includes users or other interest groups, depending<br />
on the dominant purpose; in other words, it depends on whether the users’<br />
direct input for co-constructing design openings is seen <strong>as</strong> more relevant<br />
than indirectly representing the users’ world <strong>as</strong> a b<strong>as</strong>is for mutual learning<br />
between the development team <strong>and</strong> various interests groups.<br />
Although neither of these options takes into account who should be<br />
involved from a political point of view, the process of debate <strong>and</strong> discussion<br />
(ibid., p 84) is central in both gatherings. It is considered necessary for<br />
learning that goes beyond individual preconceptions. As Westerlund demonstrates<br />
(2009, pp 71–73), in idea generation between participants with diverse<br />
backgrounds, many possibilities <strong>and</strong> challenges of both existing <strong>and</strong><br />
future solutions become topics of debate evoking insights that go beyond<br />
researchers’ knowledge. By putting emph<strong>as</strong>is on stating different opinions,<br />
values <strong>and</strong> experiences, such idea generation aims at evoking personal<br />
discoveries which emerge from actively processing various people’s viewpoints<br />
<strong>and</strong> engaging in continuous reflection between me <strong>and</strong> the other.<br />
By considering co-design gatherings through the performance process<br />
with three main ph<strong>as</strong>es: proto-performance, performance, <strong>and</strong> aftermath<br />
5.3<br />
<strong>Design</strong><br />
<strong>games</strong><br />
<strong>as</strong><br />
<strong>tool</strong>s<br />
for<br />
binding<br />
inputs<br />
from<br />
various<br />
people<br />
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