EXP 440: Designing Playful Experiences

This course focuses on the pedagogy of play within the design dissemination and critique of designed experiences. The course will begin with an inquiry into the origins of the term, its role in human development, cultural ritual, and social interaction before moving on to a series of design investigations into the affordances of play as design principles for the creation of engaging experiences. Further, we will use the study of play mechanics as a way to broadly explore the larger concept of "playful systems." How might interesting play mechanics be used to structure interactive experiences in systems that aren't necessarily games? Students will explore systems such as museums, classrooms, and social media to apply these concepts.