Design improv final pres

i believe in design process

what is improv?

rulesAgreementSpontaneityListening

why improv? The way we speak. The way we use things. Interactions are improvisational.

building on... Brenda Laurel – Design & TheatreEric Dishman – InformanceKristian Samsarian – Role Playing

brenda laurel ‘The more we live with embodied experiences in our lives, the more we become mobile, as people get connected to the world around us, you begin to need methods based on improv, because it is about that embodied experience.’

kristian simsarian‘Don’t underestimate the power of a group experience. We’ll have a shared understanding of what this thing is, that is beyond language.’

not just improv Methods from lateral thinking, social pscyhology, music, and design.

adapted improv Not performing, but playing games to solve problems.

solution

who? Service that helps designers, their clients, & users to work together.

what is it? Service Props & KitGames & BoardNotation toolsCollaborative method

what is it? Playing games to solve problems

how it works

1. establish goals Clear goals.Custom games or props.Identify main advocate.

2. set–up the space Demarcation tape. DND sign. Stage signs.Ready flipcharts.

3. unfold the kit

3. unfold the kit

4. explain the rules 1. Agreement

5. explain the rules 1. Agreement2. Listening

6. explain the rules 1. Agreement2. Listening3. Spontaneity

7. warm–up

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8. choose design phase Where are you in the design process?

8. choose design phase Select a game(Choose a goal)

9. Improvise Use narrative or thematic elements from design problem or context.Create scenarios. Explore value of ideas fast.

service qualities

service qualities1. Personality

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Ideate, 3–5 mins, 2–6 players

goal: To develop fast concepts; build teamwork, and explore roles in the group

Interaction Designer

design improv

design improv

Interaction Designer

flow: One player describes their design, and the second

player asks them questions about it, suggesting and helping

with the creation of this object. Each player can describe

new attributes and the observer or client can make obser-

vations about it, imbuing it with new qualities, and trans-

forming its purpose/ context.

suggestions: How is it made? Is it big? Was it vacuum

formed, cast in hot wax, lathed – show us the process. This

game can be done with two teams - make the two objects

interact

Develop, 5-10 mins, 4-6 players

goal: To analyse an object or environment based interaction or process flow. Great for finding bugs.

Begin & End with Objects

design improv

design improv

Begin & End with Objects

flow: Player A performs a simple action with an object.

Player then repeats the action, this time calling out “begin”

each time fresh contact is made with the object, and “End”

when each detail is completed. Player repeats the action

again, this time doing it as fast as possible, without calling

out begin and end.

suggestions: The result is akin to a stop-frame movie.

Coach the player to begin and end with great burst of

energy. How small can the segments of time be?

Develop, 5-10 mins, 4-6 players

goal: To analyse an object or environment based interaction or process flow.

Great for finding bugs.

Deconstruct

design improv

design improv

flow: Summarise your design problem in 3 key words.

Using flip–chart and pens place each word at the head of

a flip–chart. Give everyone post its, and using W stickers

as prompts, run through Who, Where, Why, When, and What

one at a time.

suggestions: You do not have to use all the W stickers,

choose 3 that best help you to address the problem area.

Use idea hats instead of flip–charts for the random factor.

Follow this exercise with Recombination.

DeconstructDeliver, 5-10 mins, 2-6 players

goal: To test a scenario, system flow, or service structure through performance, and find the bugs.

Performance Testing

design improv

design improv

Performance Testing

flow: Using an existing scenario, set the stage, decide

where everything should be. Assign roles and relationships.

If you are testing a scenario, take it in slices. As soon as it

starts to break down, the audience must call bug! Iterate

the scene, changing the variables as you do. Change rela-

tionships, Who, Where, and Why.

suggestions: This can be used as a longer exercise to

develop and ideate on an existing scenario, by combining

with Push and Pop. Use this with potential users to test

the experience of a device or service. Take the kit’s floor

shapes or make new ones. Use prototypes in conjunction

with the velcro props to help suggest all the elements in the

test. Performance testing can be done on the road, or in the

studio.

Part of a whole activity (who)

flow: One person goes onto stage and begins a simple

activity. The next player to enter must assume a character

and show their relationship to the person already on stage

through the action they are performing. The first player must

accept this relationship, and agree. Keep adding players.

suggestions: It is important for players to avoid

telling us who they are, instead they must show through

their actions and interactions with each other. Audience, did

the players show us the relationship? Did they agree? In

this game, try using the pentagonal role cards.

goal: To bring all the ele-ments together and under-stand the process of improv. Introducing What.

Part of a whole activity (what)

Warm-up, 5 mins, 3-15 players.

design improv

design improv

Exposure

flow: Split the group in half. Each group must observe

the other. One is the stage, one is the audience. No one

must laugh. Once discomfort is reached, assign a simple

task, counting the post-its on the wall. Now swop the groups.

The audience now are the stage players, and vice-versa.

suggestions: When both groups have been on

stage, question them on what they have experienced.

Don’t put words in their mouth. They should discover

that the activity helped relieve the stage fright. How did

the actors look when on stage? Ask specific questions:

How did your stomach feel? Avoid generalisations.

Warm-up, 3–5 mins, 4–10 players

goal: To develop fast concepts; build teamwork, and explore roles in the group

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Exposure

design improv

designed qualities2. Group participation

designed qualities 3. Accepting offers & agreement

designed qualities5. Owning the process.

designed qualities6. Focus on goals

case studies

case study 1: book sharing Pei Yu. Service design IDII

aims: Develop more scenarios and refine the concept.


process: Created new scenarios with Voiceover. Iterated and improved Pei’s existing scenarios with Performance testing.


outcome: Found the bugs within 30 seconds of first test. Generated new scenarios of use based on improved service structure.

case study 1: book sharing ‘When you are making a video (scenario), you don’t think about what you will need until it’s too late.’ Pei

case study 2: live|work Quadro business networking services

aims: Explore and ideate concepts for a business incubator in NE England.


process: Warm–up games including Exposure and Catch. Followed by Deconstruction & Reconstruction.


outcome: 1. Church of peer–to–peer credit (flat credit heirarchy).


outcome: 2. Equipment sharing service.

case study 2: live|work ‘I was interested to hear what the process was and how it can be applied to the design process... it was definitely an engaging proposition. I really like the idea that a design consultancy could hire out the improv service’ Athena Anagnostopoulos.

case study 3: wild watches Mattel games project IDII: Vinay, Pei, Aram.

aims: Refine concepts. Create games for children.

case study 3: wild watches process: 1) What can you do with your wrist? 2) Devising game rules. 3) Refining ideas. 4) Generating situations for use of the watch. 5) Getting into the mindset of kids. 6) Detailing experience.

case study 3: wild watches outcome: Process defined the product.Improv helped refine from 5 ideas to 2.

case study 3: wild watches ‘The session allowed our minds to float free, and break away from our preconceived notions.’ Vinay.

thesis process

thesis processLearning how through prototype process. Tested & iterated idea internally.

QuickTime™ and aNone decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

thesis processTested commercially with Live|Work & Hasbro Games.

summary

summaryService delivers real-time situation based experience.

summaryCollaborative, participatory design method.

Re-balance the relationship between designers & non-designers.

summaryNot acting, but improvising.

summaryTested internallyValidated professionallyTested Commercially

next steps

what’s next ? Service PlatformEvolveBusiness – Design CouncilImprov Lite®