Welcome to the August issue of The Delightfulness Project, a monthly write-up exploring what makes products delightful. If you were forwarded this issue, you can subscribe here.
Here’s a short story:
A few months ago, a client asked me to unveil their org’s new website, a gorgeously redesigned learning platform for criminal justice professionals.
“We really want to show them how helpful the new content is, and how much easier it is to find information,” our client said in our planning call. “But we also want it to be super engaging!”
The presentation would be an hour to a group of 47, on the last day of a 2-day virtual conference. Oof. 😬 I could already see the inevitable Zoom fatigue- glazed eyes and a wall of black screens. But knowing how to use this site was critical for this audience. So how to make it engaging?
💡The answer: by making it seem like play. 💡
Wait, did you say play?
Yup. Play is tool that’s been used in education since ancient times. In imperial China, tangram puzzles (below) were used to help students understand spatial geometry. In these puzzles, students are given a set of predefined shapes, or tans. Using only the 7 tans, students must recreate different silhouettes (often animals), while making sure that the tiles always form a continuous unbroken shape and never overlap. It’s a form of play that’s both deceptively simple and infinitely complex.
When applied thoughtfully, play provides endless opportunity for creative thought. Every human has an innate desire for play: it’s how we learn, connect, and understand. In products, play can infuse an experience with surprising meaning and an irresistible delight.
In This Issue 📖
We’re exploring how to make delightful products through play, including:
Why Play? 😊 A definition of play and how to apply it to your work and products.
Playful Products 📲 Examples of playful design applied to products.
Advice from Creatives 💬 Design educator, Elizabeth Lin, shares her tips on bringing play into design & learning.
Learning & Inspiration 💡 Articles & resources to inspire your learning journey.