Introduction
by Carolyn Chandler
“Too much talking, not enough doing.” That was the feedback that woke me up. It was my third quarter giving a class in User Experience Design at The Starter League in Chicago, and I realized that my lecture-heavy lessons were weighing down the beginners in the class.
Design is notoriously hard to teach in shorter blocks of time. So much of design happens in the mind, where nobody can see it. It’s not just about skills and sketches, but about gaining a deep and empathetic understanding of others, about taking in the context of problems, about knowing when to fight for an idea, and when to give it up. How do you explain that?
I began to tinker with running activities meant to create those connections in the brain, and came to realize something important.
One activity is worth a thousand words of lecture
An activity on its own can feel like work – not that work is bad. Good work is one of the most fulfilling parts of our lives. But studies have shown that people tend to be more creative when relaxed, after laughing. And of course, a key part of design is thinking creatively. I needed to include activities that were FUN!
The missing piece fell into place when Jim Jacoby, co-founder of ADMCi (American Design and Master-Craft Initiative), connected me with Anna van Slee. Anna has an amazing understanding of the power of play. She’s developed toys and games with companies such as Hasbro, and directs the playCHIC fashion show. For this book, Anna designed the games that take these design lessons home! Her creativity makes this book fresh, even for seasoned pros.
Before you dive into the book, here are some of the questions you may be asking yourself...
What’s with the funny chapter names?
Experienced readers may notice a similarity between some of our process–Sponge, Spark, Splatter, Sculpt, and Storytell, and the software development life cycle–Discover, Define, Design, Develop, Deploy.
We wanted to focus on the first three steps, which are essential to Experience Design. We also wanted to bring out the playfulness of design with artistic, multi-sensory words that enhance the meaning of each stage. And we wanted the journey through the design process to sound as fun and challenging to beginners as it is for professionals.
Who is this written for?
We wrote this for anyone who is exploring Experience Design, whether they are high school or college students, book club members looking for group games, or individuals who enjoy their learning accompanied by a family-sized portion of play. Seasoned professionals may also enjoy playing these games with other team members.
If I complete this, does that mean I can say I’m a professional designer?
These adventures are meant to get your feet wet, to get you thinking like a designer, and to help you see ways that design can solve problems or address needs. There’s a lot more to Experience Design than these pages can hold. We hope this book will launch your learning or help you determine if you want to pursue Experience Design as a career. If that’s your passion, we think you should! (We’re a bit biased.)
Can I skip around?
The book is designed to guide you through a typical design process from beginning to end. Chapters provide “building block” concepts that are brought together with a final challenge at the end of each chapter. If you’re a real beginner, we recommend you go through the lessons in sequence; but those with some experience may get more out of the book by jumping to the activities that they want to practice.
Do I need a bunch of people to go through this with me?
There’s plenty here for an individual to learn! However, Experience Designers work with people, and some of the games require other players to join in for the lesson to make its point. If you’re reading this alone, don’t be shy about inviting friends, family, co-workers, or book club members to join you in a game.
For those using this book to run activities in groups or in the classroom, we’ve provided The Facilitator’s Guide, which is available on the book’s website at:
http://adventuresxd.com
You’ll also find extra design challenges there, so you can continue sharpening the skills you’ll develop.
Now get ready. Open your mind. Sharpen your pencils.
And most of all, have fun!
Carolyn and Anna