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

Fig.21
Co-design
Builds on user-centred design but with a stronger emphasis on having an empathic understanding
of other people’s experiences, and users’ and other stakeholders’ creative contribution
to design.
Aims at information and inspiration for early concept design, where the search for novel
design opportunities is not restricted to the material world, but also expands into services.
Utilises direct and indirect user involvement through dialogical and narrative approaches.
Perceives design material as follows: 1) mock-up to be or building blocks for creating a
tangible representation or documentation of participants’ discussion during the co-design;
2) as design game material representing fragments of user data or to share and explore an
individual’s insights; and as 3) props that convey the idea together with the surroundings,
movement and verbal expression in enacted forms of design.
structure facilitation materials
The way co-design is described in this dissertation puts attention on providing boundaries for
co-design through structure, facilitation and materials in order to support creative interplay
between current practises and future opportunities (role-immersion and empathy).
I have already touched upon design games, explicitly and implicitly,
when discussing role-playing, co-constructing personas and scenarios,
and facilitation of co-design by giving certain fixed frames for the action
through structure, roles, props, narratives, etc. However, the relationship
between the topics discussed above and design games and games in general
is still quite fuzzy and needs more attention, which is provided in the
next chapters addressing the overall questions of: Are design games rather
a tool or a mindset, and what do they share with the games played for fun?
Why these same (or at least very similar) methods are sometimes called
design games instead of, for instance, drama inspired methods, scenarios
or just co-design workshops? I will start from the origin of design games
to make the diversity and fundamental idea of the game metaphor in design
better understood, but my main point of reference is in considering
design games in relation to aspects of co-design mentioned previously: a)
Design collaboration, b) Creative interplay between current practices and
future opportunities, and c) Design materials as tools in ideation.
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