Game Storming
Gamestorming is a set of ideation and problem-
solving methods that are purposely gamified in
order to dramatically increase levels of
engagement, energy, and collaboration during
group sessions.
(or)
Gamestorming is a set of practices where designers
use games to stimulate creative thinking and
innovation. In an atmosphere of collaboration and
free exchange of ideas, designers think out of the
box, explore novel ideas and produce creative
solutions to complex problems.
1. Opening (divergent thinking): In this stage, the facilitator
initiates the process. It’s important here to set the context and
define the problem. It's about opening up the minds of the
participants—and encouraging them to explore diverse ideas
and perspectives in the problem space as well.
2. Exploring (emergent thinking): Now, the participants delve
deeper into the problem space. They explore various facets of
the problem—and work to generate a whole multitude of
potential solutions. This stage consists of free-flowing ideas,
vigorous discussions and creative experimentation.
3. Closing (convergent thinking): It’s the final stage. The
participants evaluate the generated ideas, refine them and
converge on the most promising solutions. It involves critical
analysis, decision-making and consensus-building.
Examples:
1.6-8-5 Game:
6-8-5 is designed to generate lots of ideas in a short period of
time. The activity can then be repeated to hone & flesh out a
few of the best ideas.
Number of Players
◦ 2+
Duration of Play
◦ 5 minutes to play each round
◦ 15-20 minutes for discussion
How to Play
1. Before the meeting, prepare several sheets of paper with a 2×2
or 2×3 grid. You want to create boxes big enough for players to
sketch their ideas in.
2. As the group is gathering, distribute sheets of paper to each
player. Introduce the game and remind players of the objective
for the meeting. Tell players that the goal with 6-8-5 is to
generate between 6-8 ideas (related to the meeting objective) in
5 minutes.
3. Next, set a timer for 5 minutes.Tell the players to sit silently and
sketch out as many ideas as they can until the timer ends — with
the goal of reaching 6-8 ideas. The sketches can and should be
very rough — nothing polished in this stage.
4. When the time runs out, the players should share their sketches
with the rest of the group. The group can ask questions of each
player, but this is not a time for a larger brainstorming session.
Make sure every player presents his/her sketches.
5. With time permitting, repeat another few rounds of 6-8-5.
Players can further develop any ideas that were presented by the
group as a whole or can sketch new ideas that emerged since the
last round. They can continue to work on separate ideas, or
begin working on the same idea. But the 5-minute sketching
sprint should always be done silently and independently.
Strategy
6-8-5 is intended to help players generate many ideas in
succession, without worrying about the details or
implementation of any particular idea. It’s designed to keep
players on task by limiting them to sketch in small boxes and
work fast in a limited amount of time.
6-8-5 works great in the early stages of the ideation process, and
are often followed by a debrief and synthesis session or by
another gamestorming exercise to identify the most fruitful ideas
given the team’s business, product, or end-user goals.
2.Prune the Future:
The visual metaphor of a tree represents traditional roadmaps of the
brand’s offering. The tree also represents the evolutionary growth of
that offering.The “branches” stand for broad product capabilities or
service areas.Meanwhile, leaves might represent, for example,
specific product features. Participants seek to “prune” those unneeded
features in the game as they proceed via growth areas that represent
“sooner” and “later.”
3.Fishbowl Game
Number of Players
Medium to large groups
Duration of Play
40–45 minutes
How to Play
1. Before the meeting, think of a topic that could be served by a group
discussion and write down questions associated with it.
2. Find a room with a good amount of open space and clear out
anything other than chairs.
3. Create a handout similar to the following:
4. Arrange the chairs in two concentric circles in the room, as shown
in the following figure. The inner circle seats the players engaged in
conversation; the outer circle seats the players acting as observers.
5. Introduce the game and assign “observer” or “player” status to each
person. Give everyone a pen and a handout (but mention that the
handout is used only in the observer role). Ask the participants to sit
in the circle relative to their assigned role.
6. Announce the topic of the game and ask the players to take 15
minutes to have a discussion around it. Use the questions you
generated before the meeting to start the conversation and keep it
moving. Make sure the players know that their responsibility is
simply to converse in the circle. Make sure the observers know that
their role is to pay close attention and to write on the handouts all
discussion points and evidence that come out of the conversation.
7. When 15 minutes are up, ask the group to switch seats and switch
roles. Then start another 15-minute discussion on the same topic or a
different one.
8. After both conversations have completed, ask for volunteers to
share the information they gathered and ask them to describe their
experiences on the inner versus outer circle.
Branding
Branding in UI design is the process of incorporating a company's
visual identity and personality into the user interface of a product or
website. It involves using consistent colors, typography, logos, and
other design elements to create a recognizable and cohesive brand
image. Branding is essential in UI design as it helps users associate
the product with the company and builds trust and familiarity.
**The Need for Branding in UI Design:**
1. **Recognition:** Consistent branding elements help users identify
the product with the company, even across different platforms and
Touch points.
2. **Trust and Credibility:** A strong brand presence instills
confidence in users, making them more likely to engage with the
product.
3. **Consistency:** Branding ensures a unified and cohesive
experience, making the product feel more reliable and professional.
4. **Differentiation:** In a competitive market, branding sets the
product apart from competitors, making it stand out in users' minds.
**The Stages of Branding in UI Design:**
1. **Brand Strategy:** Define the brand's core values, target
audience, and unique selling proposition (USP). This stage sets the
foundation for the visual elements that will be used in the UI design.
2. **Visual Identity Design:** Create the visual elements that
represent the brand, such as the logo, color palette, typography, and
iconography. These elements should align with the brand strategy.
3. **UI Design Integration:** Incorporate the brand's visual identity
into the UI design. Use the chosen colors, typography, and other
elements to create a consistent and on-brand interface.
4. **Brand Guidelines:** Document the brand guidelines that outline
how the visual elements should be used in the UI design. These
guidelines ensure consistency across different designers and projects.
5. **User Testing:** Test the UI design with real users to ensure that
the branding elements resonate with the target audience and provide a
positive user experience. By integrating branding into the UI design
process, companies can create a memorable and cohesive user
experience that reflects their identity and values, ultimately leading to
increased user engagement and loyalty.
Style Guide
Style guides in UI design are like detailed manuals that explain how a
product or website should look and feel. They help designers,
developers, and others follow consistent design rules for colors, fonts,
icons, and more.
The need for style guides includes:
1. Making sure everything in the design looks the same and works
well.
2. Saving time and effort by giving a reference for designers and
developers to follow.
3. Keeping a consistent brand image by defining how logos and colors
should be used.
The stages of creating style guides are:
1. Doing research about the brand and target audience.
2. Creating the visual elements like colors and icons for the design.
3. Making a library of reusable components like buttons and cards.
4. Writing down all the design rules and guidelines in a document.
5. Testing the design with real users and making improvements.
6. Integrating the style guide into the design and development
process.
By using style guides, UI designers can create a user-friendly and
cohesive interface that represents the brand well and gives a positive
user experience.
