Game dynamics in design - a process to achieve creative agency (to give people achance)

Abstract

Product designers often take it upon them selves to define environments, problems, and solutions for others. Unfortunately this can serve to arrest the potential engagement for people and block the possibility to act (creative agency) on situations that the design potentially provoke s. Games and play represent voluntary engagement and autonomy for the player. In this paper, we study the methodologies for game designers and relate them to the product and service design field. Our research focus is on how a design intervention can create engagement, and what the meaning of engagement is in this context. We call this game dynamics in design, and we relate the discussion to both the gamification and DIY trends that influence contemporary design practice The synthesized research on creative agency and game and play theory lead to the disclosure of five typologies which describe engagement. These typologies again lead to the definition of Game Dynamics in Design, which provides the basis for a specialization in design on the master’s level in Norway