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

envisioned person’s perspective like a special role character, it seems to
be easy for the participants to take leaps in time and discuss things that
might be in the future.
To conclude, symbolic time allows participants to move between the
past (memories, experiences), the present (the situation at hand) and the
future (imagined, dream situation, what if) while playing the design game,
since the performance can represent another span of clock time, as proposed
by Schechner (1988/2003).
In this chapter, I have pinpointed some central qualities of design games
when they are applied in co-design to create a wider understanding of the
topic under study and guide the design accordingly. Examples from my
account have been used to demonstrate how several types of knowledge
are shared and created during the design games, including 1) the personal
experiences while co-constructing a common user representation (e.g. a
storyline), 2) the participants’ professional knowledge, which is reflected
in the other player’s claims and the given design game materials, and 3)
various design ideas prompted by the intense discussions.
In order to reach the three types of knowledge, various kinds of visualizations
have proved to be meaningful. Whereas previous literature (e.g.
Brandt 2006; Johansson 2005) describes design game materials as boundary
objects, things to think and act with, a common language and stimulus
for exploring alternatives, my analysis in this chapter provides more detailed
knowledge on the characteristics of the design game material. First
of all, I have shown that design game material can be either predesigned or
generated when playing the game. It is a visual reference for shared focus of
attention, but instead of just establishing and maintaining the focus, design
game material may also serve as a distraction that prevents users from
collaborating; this was illustrated through the example where one participant’s
attention was so fully engaged by the materials at hand that he did
not follow the common discussion. In order to use a visual reference as a
strategy for collaboration, it is important to be aware of possible distractions
and to re-establish a shared focus of attention when necessary.
Design game material also serves as a way of documenting the discussion,
decisions and ideas represented in the form of co-constructed user
representation, which work later on as a reminder for the participants. During
the co-design gathering, evolving representation illustrates the progress
of the gathering. Furthermore, if materials are used that have game connotations
such as playing cards, they serve as visual indicators of being in a
special game world, a magic circle, and hence support the play spirit.
Based on my analysis, Table 6 below presents the characteristics of design
game materials. They should not, however, be viewed as being in-
5.5
Revising
the
Play
framework
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