I've included a few synopses of some of my favorite Design Games presented by the folks at the aptly named www.designgames.com.au.
Design the Box
What is it?
Participants get together and design a box for a product — even one that is not actually boxed, such as a service — and create a product, tagline, key features, and constraints an/or requirements. All you really need to play this game is a box — perhaps an old cereal box covered in white paper — markers, and a product or service to design for.
How Can it Help?
Design the Box can help a design team quickly determine the key selling points and drawbacks of any particular product or service — as they're likely the ones that will end up on the box. If designs are split up between groups, there are opportunities for different key points for the same product or service to be presented.
What Can I Use it For?
In theory, this game can be played for any service the library offers (e.g. reserves, local collections, computer services, etc.).
What Challenges Might Arise?
Designing a box for a service that will never actually be put in a box — such as those mentioned above — could be a bit challenging, particularly if your design team turns out being a bit on the unimaginative side. However, that same challenge could also be this particular games strength, in order to Design the Box, your team will have to think outside the... uh... box.
Design the Home Page
What is it?
Design the Home Page is quite similar to Design the Box, in that your team is, well, designing something. Also, you'll need plenty of paper and markers for drawing up sample web pages.
How Can it Help?
If you have ability to have patrons involved in the process, you have the added bonus of getting web design input directly from your user base. If you don't, however, you still have the potential to get a great deal of input from web users representing a wide variety of web experience.
What Can I Use it For?
Anything that comes from this activity could be applied directly to a site redesign. If the team is redesigning the library site from the top down, current issues and concerns can be highlighted and new ways for improving the flow of information could be found.
What Challenges Might Arise?
Of course, there is the risk that everything your team produces is not particularly useful — especially if they're not at all versed in practical web design — but that seems highly doubtful; everyone (practically) uses the web today and thus knows what works and what doesn't. Also, if your site is managed by an outside firm or regulated by local government, this entire game could be pointless.
Scavenger Hunt
What is it?
Just about everyone is familiar with scavenger hunts — people race to find objects or information within a defined amount of time and whoever finds the most, wins.
How Can it Help?
If approached differently than the typical scavenger hunt and, instead, employed as form of usability testing, this game could highlight potential touchpoints for improving user experience.
What Can I Use it For?
If, instead of hunting for items or object, participants try to complete tasks that typical library users would (e.g. placing a hold, using a computer, printing a paper, making copies, etc.) the design team could unwittingly embark on a service safari without realizing it.
What Challenges Might Arise?
Of course, library employees are likely to be well versed in completing any of the potential tasks put before them — after all, they're typically helping patrons complete these same tasks. Preferably, certain teams ought to complete tasks they might encounter less frequently (e.g. having aides tackle using the computers and pages try placing holds) so that they actually have to think out the process and approach the experience more like a patron would.
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