Not just Brainstorming, but Gamestorming

Gamestorming involves the process of brainstorming new ideas in a game-like way. It is a fun, collaborative way to think of innovative ideas by using imagination. Gamestorming allows an office to be turned into an alternate reality, unlike many other traditional office settings. It uses low tech, fun methods to get ideas flowing and people excited for work. In the Gamestorming video, it talks about major companies today such as Apple, eBay, and Facebook, that was started by young adults. These young minds brought more creativity to the table and used this method to build their companies. Now, they are some of the most successful companies today, which can be attributed to their non-traditional workspace.

The rules and methods of Gamestorming are endless. Each company working this way can come up with their own set of rules and activities. Making the work enjoyable is one of the top priorities. In class, we were able to understand the variety of ways Gamestorming can take place and how much it fosters collaboration.

For our class activities, we were required to draw a cover story, complete a SWOT analysis, design a mood board, and create spectrum maps. All of these different methods allowed us to think creatively and non-traditionally.

For the cover story, we were asked to redesign a new Facebook that is focused more on community rather than news. We drew a magazine cover complete with headlines, quotes, and images. For the SWOT analysis, we had to figure out the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of pop-up experiences. This type of analysis allowed for many of the features of the pop-up experience to be looked upon. The mood board was created on Pinterest that conveyed easily reusable and simple packaging. After creating a product, it is important to have the right packaging to sell it in. Lastly, we created spectrum maps of various political views showing the extremes of each side and in between. Our map involved the gun control debate, government funding, and marijuana use.

The process of Gamestorming allows for greater collaboration, creativity, and innovation. I believe it should be implemented into more companies to allow for more ideas to be generated.

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