Collaborators: N. John Habraken, Ming-Hung Wang, James Anderson, Sergio Palleroni, John Dale, Ellen Saslaw, Nabeel Hamdi,

This paper describes our work on using games as a tool for research in design theory and methods. Games offer a means of isolating certain aspects, or concepts, of designing for purposes of scrutiny. A game provides an environment for a group of players, acting with individual goals and a shared program, to make and transform complex configurations, free of functional requirements. Adjusting game parameters emphasizes different concepts. We developed nine games that explore a variety of concepts of general interest to those concerned with organizing physical configurations. Beyond these particular concepts, we argue that games are a useful way to couch studies in design theory and methods.

http://www.habraken.com/html/concept_design_games.htm

1988 Habraken, N.J., and Mark Gross. Concept Design Games, in Design Studies. Vol. 9, 1988. [pdf]

1987 Concept Design Games, A report submitted to the National Science Foundation. Book One: Developing. Book One: Developing. [link]

1987 Concept Design Games, A report submitted to the National Science Foundation. Book One: Developing. Book Two: Playing.[link]