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

The 45-minute co-design part was video-recorded. My purpose was to
investigate in detail the dialogue and interaction between participants
through interaction analyses (Jordan & Henderson 1995). In my analyses
(Vaajakallio 2009) the aim was to gain a deeper understanding about
the means of design representations and unfolding of the interaction described
below:
F [the invited participant] and K [me] are standing next to a large
screen on the wall with a projected mute video on it, where Andres
Lucero [whose research project the session belongs to] is using
some sort of prototype to communicate a mood board; he wears
black gloves that leave red traces on the mood board as his hand
moves. F and K are encouraged to use the video as a source of inspiration
while considering how the story of a mood board could
be communicated differently.
F: “I think it is really strong [experience] for a person if you can focus
in [to the image] – so this is a whole picture, and when you talk to
people you zoom in, like if you have a [pair of ] binoculars and just
focus on this [part].” [She shapes her hands so that only one part
of the picture is visible, like seeing through a pair of binoculars].
K: “So is it then like this one?” [Takes, from a nearby table, a cubeshaped
Velcro-covered prop (about 8cm x 8cm x 8 cm) with a hole
in the middle of it and hands it to F.] F: “Yes, exactly. Then it’s like
a lens, like a fisheye that makes it bigger [makes descriptive movements
with her hand above the prop].” F continues sketching the
idea by moving the binocular prop back and forth in front of the
projector, changing the visible area accordingly. K: “That’s nice,
and then you can zoom in it.” (Transcribed 6 based on the video recordings,
June 2007, Finland)
Vaajakallio, K. (2009). Enacting design: understanding co-design as embodied practice. Proceedings
of Nordic Design Research Conference: ENGAGING ARTIFACTS (Nordes’09). Oslo, Norway, 1–10.
Lucero, A. & Vaajakallio, K. (2009). Dialogue-labs: Creating dialogue in co-design sessions. Proceedings
of International Conference on Designing Pleasurable Products and Interfaces (DPPI09).
Compiegne, France.
Lucero, A. & Vaajakallio, K. (2008). Co-Designing Mood Boards: Creating Dialogue with People. Proceedings
of International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (IASTED HCI 2008).
ACTA, 254–260.
Vaajakallio, K. (2008). Design Dialogues: Studying co-design activities in an artificial environment.
Copenhagen working papers on design. No. 2, Danmarks Designskole.
6 The account in its entirety is presented in (Vaajakallio 2008) and a further analysis of it in
(Vaajakallio 2009).
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