Hey, it's Nathan! You've acquired a lot of design tools in the first two levels of HS101. Before you start applying them, it's helpful to review how everything hangs together. I'll walk you through it.
Starting with the human at the top of the circle (🧑🏾 Malaika), and moving clockwise...
- 🧑🏾 Malaika has 🌳 personal values she develops from experience, reflection, inspiration, and admiration.
- These are often bundled with 📈 goals and 💍🛃 expectations in her concepts.
- Her concepts and the 👣 hard steps of her values encounter a ⚙️ structure.
- ⚙️ Structures make certain 📈 goals and 💍🛃 expectations more salient, and the 👣 hard steps easier or harder.
- ❣️Emotions arise as she manages to live by her values (or not).
- And so on...
Of course, there is a lot more to human life that just what is named in the wheel above. But these are the elements we'll work with in the Human Systems design method.
Humans Without Systems
When we don't recognise how humans are embedded in the systems around them, we tend to design bad stuff.
If we simply ask a person to practice their value by performing some action, we design in a "system blind" way and lose out on many opportunities to support this human in living by their value in this context.
System-Blind "Support"
Many well-meaning people design system-blind forms of "support" (i.e., behavioral pressure): "Did your taxes? Here's a gold star, hero!" / "Ate a second piece of cake? It gets the hose again!" This approach can seem helpful, but only serves to amplify existing goals and expectations.
David Goggins offering you some system-blind "support" about your attitude:
Note: This only works for David Goggins.
Again, we missed the chance to provide actual support to a human trying to live by her values.
Human Systems Design
You've mastered personal values, goals, expectations, and hard steps. Now you can apply that knowledge to create Space Jams that support meaningful living.
As you do, remember to ask yourself...
- Does my design actually support the hard steps of living by an articulated value?
- Does it's structure make value-aligned goals and expectations more sailient?
Work through the process below, and we'll review your design ideas together in 🥋 Dojo 3.
First check out some example 🎸 Space Jams
😇Nathan's Example EtoV, HS and SJ (incl SF)🙏Nathan's Ritual for Kundalini Healing MantraNote: These examples include ⚙️ Structural Features. You'll learn about that next week.
Then use ❣️ Emotions to Values to get started
Problem/Emotion Story:
Emotion:
Immediate Cause:
Value needed to be / was:
Change the Story, Get More Stories, Take a New Perspective:
Values can get crowded out by internalized expectations. If you notice a negative self-image, perform a Self-Image Flip by asking them what the positive reversal of that would be.
Example: I just felt so weak in that moment...
What is your strong self like? How does that self (approach things/treat people/act/keep things/live life)?
Example: I'm completely incompetent...
What would it look like for you to be capable? How would you be able to (approach things/treat people/act/keep things/live life)?
Values can also get crowded out by external factors. In that case, find a question by performing a System Fix — getting rid of the problem.
Example: I was scared to say anything because I might lose my job.
How would you have been able to (approach things/treat people/act/keep things/live life) if you knew that you couldn't lose your job?
Example: The deadline was coming up, and I was just getting more and more frustrated...
How would you have been able to (approach things/treat people/act/keep things/live life) if you knew that you had all the time you needed?
Sometimes people have trouble seeing that their values aren't tied to the specifics of one story. In that case, find a question that invites them to think about similar Bad Times or Better Times.
Example (Bad Times): I just got so frustrated by the whole thing.
Are there other times that you have been frustrated like that? What way of (approaching things/treating people/acting/ keeping things/living life) seems blocked in those moments?
Example (Better Times): I felt like it didn't even matter if I was there.
Can you think of a time when it seemed like it mattered that you were there? What was different? How were you able to (approach things/act/treat people/keep things)?
You want to make sure that you don't only see your own personal value in another person's story. But saying what that value means for you can give them something to push against.
Example (Self-Reference): I guess it's a kind of authenticity.
When I'm being authentic, it's about sharing my feelings in a way that immediately resonates in my body. Is it like that for you too, or is it something else?
Sometimes people haven't reflected on their story before (or maybe they aren't very self-reflected in general). In that case, ask them for some Advice they would give themselves.
Example: It was all just so hopeless...
What advice would you give to yourself in that situation if you could go back? What way of (approaching things/treating people/acting/ keeping things/living life) would be important to remember?
Sometimes people's more easily recognize values they Admire or Appreciate in others.
Example: ...and then I just felt horrible about the whole thing...
Can you think of a person who would have handled that situation really well? How would they have (approached things/acted/treated people/kept things)? [CAREFUL: you might get an image they are pressuring themselves with here. If so, bring it back to a value or use another move.]
Reggie Luedtke came up with this. I'm not exactly sure why it works, but it's got a pretty solid track record. What wasn't being loved/is worth loving in this situation?
Example: ...and then I just felt horrible about the whole thing...
What would it look like if love would have been guiding your choices? How would you have been (approaching things/ treating people / acting / keeping things)? Alternately: What's worth loving in this situation?
Outline the story again, but from the outside... as if it were about someone else. How is that person having trouble (treating people/acting/approaching things/keeping things)?
What's worth protecting?
What way of living is blocked?
What way of being has no space here?
Take Notes:
What's worth protecting?
What way of living is blocked?
What way of being is not safe to emerge?
Take Notes:
What's worth protecting?
What way of living is blocked?
What way of being is not safe to emerge?
Take Notes:
What's worth protecting?
What way of living is threatened?
What way of being can you not bear to give up on?
Take Notes:
What's worth protecting?
What way of living is threatened?
What way of being can you not bear to give up on?
Take Notes:
What's worth protecting?
What way of living is threatened?
Take Notes:
What's worth recovering?
What way of living is overridden?
What value did you fail to live by?
Take Notes:
What's worth recovering?
What way of living did you neglect?
Take Notes:
What's worth recovering?
What way of living did you neglect?
What did you fail to prioritise?
Take Notes:
What's worth recovering?
What way of living did you give up on?
What do you no longer trust yourself with?
Take Notes:
What's worth honoring?
What way of living is lost for now?
What way of living has become impossible?
Take Notes:
What is worth protecting?
What way of living is violated?
Take Notes:
What's worth recovering?
What way of living is estranged?
Take Notes:
What is worth protecting?
What way of living is violated?
Take Notes:
What is worth protecting?
What way of living is violated?
Take Notes:
What's worth honoring?
What way of living is lost for now?
What way of living has become impossible?
Take Notes:
What's worth honoring?
What way of living is lost for now?
What way of living has become impossible?
Take Notes:
What's worth honoring?
What way of living is lost for now?
What way of living has become impossible?
Take Notes:
What's worth recentering around?
What way of living is out of focus?
What way of living do you not know how to bring to this?
What ways of living seem to be in conflict with each other?
Take Notes:
What's worth recentering around?
What way of living is out of focus?
What way of living do you not know how to bring to this?
What ways of living seem to be in conflict with each other?
Take Notes:
What's worth nurturing?
What way of living is unsafe to emerge?
What's worth identifying?
What way of living would allow the above emerge?
Take Notes:
What's worth nurturing?
What way of living is unsafe to emerge?
What's worth identifying?
What way of living would allow the above emerge?
Take Notes:
What's worth nurturing?
What way of living is unsafe to emerge?
What's worth identifying?
What way of living would allow the above emerge?
Take Notes:
What's worth nurturing?
What way of living is unsafe to emerge?
What's worth identifying?
What way of living would allow the above emerge?
Take Notes:
What's worth demoting?
What way of living doesn't make sense anymore?
What's worth embracing?
What way of living will save the above?
Take Notes:
What's worth nurturing?
What way of living seems impossible?
Take Notes:
What's worth nurturing?
What way of living seems impossible?
Take Notes:
What's worth nurturing?
What way of living seems impossible?
Take Notes:
What's worth nurturing?
What way of living seems impossible?
Take Notes:
Take Notes:
What's worth nurturing?
What way of living seems impossible?
Take Notes:
🌳 Personal Value:
Begin by
Find a word or short phrase that captures your value (a way of being). Write it down:
Using the word above, answer these questions one at a time. (slowly works best)
1) To seem this way to others, I've been:
2) But on my own terms, being this way means being:
3) And people I admire for being this way inspire me because they are:
How would you name your value now?
Use your answers to 2) and/or 3). Write it here:
approaching things ___, treating people ___, acting ___, keeping things ___, living life __
Then continue by
asking these questions to make sure you have a "pure value".
Note: your value might already be spot on. If so, you don't need to answer the questions.
- Would it still be worth doing independent of the outcome? If so, continue to the next bullet point. If not, it's a goal or fear! Take notes below.
- Would it still be worth doing if no one knew you did it? If so, continue to the next question. If not, it's a social norm. Take notes below.
- Do you believe you could still be a good person even if you failed to be this way? If so, continue to the next question. If not, it's an internalized social norm. Take notes below.
- Would it still be worth being this way if no one else ever joined in? If so, (after all the questions above) it's probably a value! If not, it’s an ideological commitment. Take notes below.
"How would I want to approach things/treat people/etc. if I couldn't affect the outcome?"
"How would I want to approach things/treat people/etc. if no one noticed?"
"How would I want to approach things/treat people/etc. if there were no rules?"
"How would I want to approach things/treat people/etc. if I couldn't influence anyone?
Use any relevant answers to write out your value below.
Note: your value might already be spot on. If so, you don't need to answer the questions.
Personal Value:
Is your value "clear"? If not, answer these questions:
When you manage to live by your personal value, what are you noticing? What specific aspects of the situation should your personal value phrase bring into the foreground?
Use that information to rephrase your value in non-poetic terms that anyone could understand:
approach things _____, treat people _____, act (with) _____, keep things _____, live life ______
Better Formulation of a value around "how to be while criticizing people"
When you manage to live by your value, what are you noticing? What specific aspects of the situation should your value phrase bring into the foreground?
What I notice, and need to foreground: That we're both human beings, and that I make mistakes all the time, and that I often don't handle things the way I would have wanted to
How would you tell an actor to be in a scene where they make choices based on that?
Personal Value: approach other people's faults with humility and compassion, relate to them in a way that is deeply mindful of your own imperfections
Is your value "awareness-guiding"? If not, ask these questions:
Where should you direct your attention in order to live by this personal value?
Use that information to rephrase your personal value and make those things stand out:
approach things _____, treat people _____, act (with) _____, keep things _____, live life ______
Better Formulation of a value around "how to be while receiving criticism"
I need to figure out where to direct my attention. Not what to do, but how is it important to be when people are criticizing me.
Where should you direct your attention in order to live by this personal value?: Stay open to connection. Trust the person behind the mirror that they are holding up to me.
Rephrase the personal value to make those things stand out:
Personal Value: connect fearlessly, don't lose touch with the person and the relationship, even when you don't want to see what they are showing you.
Is your value an "improvisational directive"? If not, ask these questions:
How would you tell an actor to approach a scene in which she lives by your personal value?
Use that information to rephrase your personal value to be more about how to proceed:
approach things _____, treat people _____, act (with) _____, keep things _____, live life ______
Better Formulation of a value around "how I want to treat my friends in tough times"
How would you tell an actor to approach a scene in which she lives by your personal value?: Think outside the box, and find solutions that could arise from collective efforts that wouldn't have been available to any one of you alone
Rephrase your personal value to be more about how to proceed:
Personal Value: keep things creative when friends are facing hardships, address problems collectively, draw on the wealth of your communal talents
👣 Hard Steps:
Step 1: Come up with potential Hard Steps
Allow yourself to come up with many imperfect hard steps. You'll have time to find their constituent parts and refine them later.
Ask yourself: - What is hard about living by this value? - Which challenging action do I have to take to live by this value? - Where do my attempts to live by this value break down?
- Noticing—Noticing an internal or external stimulus, Attending to something, Tracking something.
- Feeling—Noticing, Identifying the emotion, Disentangling the immediate cause and associated beliefs.
- Focusing—Noticing, Selecting what to focus on, Attending to Something, Shifting focus, Tracking something over time, Keeping in mind, Staying in Touch with, Not getting distracted.
- Recognizing, Identifying—Noticing an internal or external stimulus, Having a Referent (e.g. previous experience with the thing I am trying to identify)
- Gathering information, Finding out—Discovering, Investigating, Scanning for—Knowing what you need (to know, to look out for), Gaining access, Interpreting what you learn.
- Remembering, Recalling—Remembering how to do something or explicit knowledge, Having gained that knowledge, Remembering to remember.
- Generating, imagining alternatives (creativity)
- Assessing, discerning—Assessing, Evaluating, Discerning, Telling whether, Separating, Identifying.
- Deciding, Weighing, Choosing—Trading off, Prioritising, Balancing more than one concern, Choosing the best ... (team, time, space)
- Modeling, Foreseeing—Modeling interactions, Stepping into the shoes of the other, Foreseeing consequences, Anticipating.
- Changing Situations and Games—Making space for, Creating, Getting, Finding, Arranging, Collecting, Building, Borrowing, Asking for support with, Pausing, Rearranging
- Social Skills—Negotiating, Listening, Asking, Understanding, Reminding, Providing support, Stepping into their shoes, Empathy
- Resources, Capacity, Experience—Setting yourself up ahead of time to do hard things later.
- Changing Course, Dealing with Setbacks—Accepting, Sitting with, Bearing, Knowing it's okay, Improvising, Stepping back, Aborting, Changing mental model, gear, lens.
- The (right) equipment (to) remember, identity, find, arrange, collect, build, borrow ❓Do you need a special kind of equipment? What’s hard to do about knowing what you need or getting those things?
- The (right) people (to) identify, gather, select, find, get on board, convince, build relationships with ❓Does this value require a specific person? If so, what’s hard to do about gathering people who fit the criteria? What’s hard to do about knowing where to find them? What kind of information would you need to tell if someone is right? What’s hard to do about gathering that information? ❓What would you need to set up long in advance?
- The (right) time and timing (to) identify, notice, make, schedule ❓Does the moment need to be right? What would you need to be able to tell if the moment is right? What’s hard to do about evaluating that?
- The (right) setting (to) imagine, find, identify, set up, make, negotiate, decorate ❓Is this value easier in a specific setting? If so, what’s hard to do about creating that setting? ❓Do you need a certain mood or situation? If so, what’s hard to do about setting that mood / getting into that situation?
- Current capacity and needs (physical, intellectual, emotional) (to) Assess, bolster, provide support, keep in mind, make space for, listen to, ask about ❓What do you need to be capable of handling as it unfolds? What is hard to do about that?
- Skills, ability (to) Assess, bolster, practice, grow, accommodate, keep in mind
- Current mood/emotions (to) Assess, make space for, acknowledge, change plans for, improvise, change gears, model, foresee, track, keep in mind ❓What do you need to be able to feel? What’s hard to do about that? What’s hard to do about knowing when you’re ready to handle and feel those things? ❓Do you need a certain mood? What’s hard to do about setting that mood? ❓Does this value require a person to be in a specific state? If so, what’s hard to do about getting people into that state? What kind of information would you need in order to tell if someone is in the right state? What’s hard to do about gathering that info? Is the state you/they need to be in fragile? What’s hard to do about getting yourself/others there?
- Limiting beliefs (to) notice, identify, name, process, make time for, sit with, keep in mind, not get drawn into
- Sense of safety, trust (to) Assess, reassure, call to mind, remember, remind, provide support, keep in mind, ask about ❓Are there reasons it might be unsafe to do this? What kind of information do you need to decide? What’s hard to do about figuring out whether it’s safe in this particular situation?
- How might they see and understand me (to) model, assess, step into their shoes, remember, ask about, listen to, adjust course
- Status, Relationship Durability, Communication, Willingness to cooperate (to) assess, take into account, change, remember, remind, track over time, change, ignore, make space for, address
- Other consequences living by this value might have (to) assess, accept, sit with, make space for, hear out, mitigate, prepare for, remember, change, ignore
Step 2: Screen and Pick
Go through the list of potential hard steps. Drop or improve them one by one.
- ✅ Solid Hard Step
- 🚷 Not an instruction. Is it an instruction you could turn into action right away? If not, make it one. Decide yourself at which point to stop making instructions more concrete. Mark tactics to address a Hard Step with a lightbulb.
- 🎉 Potentially unnecessary. Ask yourself whether there is any way you can live by this value without doing this step? It's not always clear-cut whether a step is necessary or not. Ask yourself how helpful this step is and consider kicking it out.
- 🚲 Not really hard. Is this step hard to do? If not, find what is hard to do or kick it out.
- ❄️ Too unique. Does it apply across cases? If not, make it less unique or kick it out.
- 💡 A tactic for addressing a Hard Step. Write them underneath the Hard Step they address when they happen upon you and mark them with a lightbulb.
- The (right) equipment (to) remember, identity, find, arrange, collect, build, borrow ❓Do you need a special kind of equipment? What’s hard to do about knowing what you need or getting those things?
- The (right) people (to) identify, gather, select, find, get on board, convince, build relationships with ❓Does this value require a specific person? If so, what’s hard to do about gathering people who fit the criteria? What’s hard to do about knowing where to find them? What kind of information would you need to tell if someone is right? What’s hard to do about gathering that information? ❓What would you need to set up long in advance?
- The (right) time and timing (to) identify, notice, make, schedule ❓Does the moment need to be right? What would you need to be able to tell if the moment is right? What’s hard to do about evaluating that?
- The (right) setting (to) imagine, find, identify, set up, make, negotiate, decorate ❓Is this value easier in a specific setting? If so, what’s hard to do about creating that setting? ❓Do you need a certain mood or situation? If so, what’s hard to do about setting that mood / getting into that situation?
- Current capacity and needs (physical, intellectual, emotional) (to) Assess, bolster, provide support, keep in mind, make space for, listen to, ask about ❓What do you need to be capable of handling as it unfolds? What is hard to do about that?
- Skills, ability (to) Assess, bolster, practice, grow, accommodate, keep in mind
- Current mood/emotions (to) Assess, make space for, acknowledge, change plans for, improvise, change gears, model, foresee, track, keep in mind ❓What do you need to be able to feel? What’s hard to do about that? What’s hard to do about knowing when you’re ready to handle and feel those things? ❓Do you need a certain mood? What’s hard to do about setting that mood? ❓Does this value require a person to be in a specific state? If so, what’s hard to do about getting people into that state? What kind of information would you need in order to tell if someone is in the right state? What’s hard to do about gathering that info? Is the state you/they need to be in fragile? What’s hard to do about getting yourself/others there?
- Limiting beliefs (to) notice, identify, name, process, make time for, sit with, keep in mind, not get drawn into
- Sense of safety, trust (to) Assess, reassure, call to mind, remember, remind, provide support, keep in mind, ask about ❓Are there reasons it might be unsafe to do this? What kind of information do you need to decide? What’s hard to do about figuring out whether it’s safe in this particular situation?
- How might they see and understand me (to) model, assess, step into their shoes, remember, ask about, listen to, adjust course
- Status, Relationship Durability, Communication, Willingness to cooperate (to) assess, take into account, change, remember, remind, track over time, change, ignore, make space for, address
- Other consequences living by this value might have (to) assess, accept, sit with, make space for, hear out, mitigate, prepare for, remember, change, ignore
- Noticing—Noticing an internal or external stimulus, Attending to something, Tracking something.
- Feeling—Noticing, Identifying the emotion, Disentangling the immediate cause and associated beliefs.
- Focusing—Noticing, Selecting what to focus on, Attending to Something, Shifting focus, Tracking something over time, Keeping in mind, Staying in Touch with, Not getting distracted.
- Recognizing, Identifying—Noticing an internal or external stimulus, Having a Referent (e.g. previous experience with the thing I am trying to identify)
- Gathering information, Finding out—Discovering, Investigating, Scanning for—Knowing what you need (to know, to look out for), Gaining access, Interpreting what you learn.
- Remembering, Recalling—Remembering how to do something or explicit knowledge, Having gained that knowledge, Remembering to remember.
- Generating, imagining alternatives (creativity)
- Assessing, discerning—Assessing, Evaluating, Discerning, Telling whether, Separating, Identifying.
- Deciding, Weighing, Choosing—Trading off, Prioritising, Balancing more than one concern, Choosing the best ... (team, time, space)
- Modeling, Foreseeing—Modeling interactions, Stepping into the shoes of the other, Foreseeing consequences, Anticipating.
- Changing Situations and Games—Making space for, Creating, Getting, Finding, Arranging, Collecting, Building, Borrowing, Asking for support with, Pausing, Rearranging
- Social Skills—Negotiating, Listening, Asking, Understanding, Reminding, Providing support, Stepping into their shoes, Empathy
- Resources, Capacity, Experience—Setting yourself up ahead of time to do hard things later.
- Changing Course, Dealing with Setbacks—Accepting, Sitting with, Bearing, Knowing it's okay, Improvising, Stepping back, Aborting, Changing mental model, gear, lens.
Now You're Ready to 🎸 Space Jam
Space Jamming is when you create small games for people to practice living by their values. And it's HARD! Don't worry if what you make seems kind of terrible at first.
Simple Instructions
Space Jams are mini-games that help a person to practice their value. In its most stripped-down form, a game is a set of simple instructions. For example:
Write simple instructions that give someone a chance to practice living by the value above. At this point, we're designing in a "System Blind" way (see above), but it's just to get us started.
Simple Instructions:
🌳 Personal Value: Approach conversations with strangers in a way that encourages emotional vulnerability, and cultivates an increasing sense of trust and intimacy
Note: It's best to write instructions that only require the people who happen to be present. So your game might involve role play (e.g. someone is the "boss", and someone is the "worker).
Design around the 👣 Hard Steps
We want to support the value, but make sure not to skip the Hard Steps. Right now, your simple instructions (above) are just saying, "Do the thing!" But keep revisiting them and be creative around supporting someone in tackling the Hard Steps of living by their value.
Personal Value: 🌳 Approach conversations with strangers in a way that encourages emotional vulnerability, and cultivates an increasing sense of trust and intimacy
Simple Instructions 1. Find a stranger. 2. Share an emotionally charged story with them. 3. Ask them to share an emotionally charged story with you.
Hard Steps: 👣 Feel through your feelings around talking to a stranger 👣 Assess whether the stranger you chose is open to being vulnerable right now 👣 Maintain a slow back-and-forth pace of revealing intimate information 👣 Process feelings that come up in the moment 👣 Find ways to co-create a sense of being understood
🎸Space Jam 1. Begin: identify a stranger you'd like to talk to. Scan you body for feelings, and interrogate the thoughts that give rise to them. Once you are calm in your body, go up and start talking with the stranger. 2. Explain: Ask if they would be up for playing a 3 round game in which you both answer increasingly personal questions. If they agree, proceed to Round 1. If they aren’t up for it, give them a genuine compliment and wish them well. 3. Round 1: Tell a story about something recently that made you feel a strong emotion. After each person goes, the other person decides on a sound that represents that feeling. Make the sound together. Example: anger - “ROAR!” 4. Round 2: What are you most afraid of happening in your life in the next few months? After each person goes, the other person gives the fear a short name, and both players say the name while “shaking it off”. Example: “Unemployment” 5. Round 3: What’s something that you deeply desire, and don’t talk with many people about? Example: "I want to move to Bali." Improvise a beat together around a word from the story and have a mini Dance Party. 6. Finish by staring into each other’s eyes for 60 seconds, both thinking of a genuine compliment you'd like to give the other person. Then share that compliment and thank each other for playing.
Remember that games don’t necessarily involve scores, or even competition. Just make sure your game ends up being effective, interesting, and (at least some kind of) fun!
🌳 Personal Value (cut and paste from above):
👣 Hard Steps: (cut and paste from above)
🎸 Space Jam
🙋🏾♂️…BUT MY GAME STILL SUCKS!
Don't panic! You've developed all the technical skills, now it's time to get creative. Think about games you know well—Truth or Dare, Charades, Twister, Tag, Chess, Basketball—what makes them interesting, powerful, fun? These 8 ways your game could suck will help you understand what the classics get right and improve the games you’re making:
YOUR GAME SUCKS BECAUSE...
Does the game begin and end in a satisfying way? Is the beginning scary? The end triumphant? What design elements are important here?
Some people go all-in as soon as a game starts, and others are slower to warm to it. Ideally a game can accommodate a variety of levels of engagement and win people over to a kind of commitment through play. Does your game do this? How does it create room for the less engaged player? Will they have experiences that draw them in? Will social pressure exists even among less engaged players that will push them towards commitment? Can it accommodate different rates of engagement?
Does the game have a skill set all its own, or does it just engage standard issue human skills (i.e., will the winner generally just be the strongest, the best at pattern matching, the most social)? Ideally, challenges of the game should be unfamiliar and worth improving at.
The best games have a complexity and richness which isn’t revealed in the instructions but instead slowly through play. Does your game have strategies which a player would only hit upon after 10 minutes (or 10 hours) of play? Do the roles and tasks create an ecosystem together which affords a variety of ways of playing and of attending to the play of others? Are there different ways to use the room, to use props, or to use other players which take time to explore? Do the instructions manage to create a good beginning and a good end without spelling exactly out how they happen?
In game design, the word balance is used to mean a game in which very different personality styles and very different strategic approaches can compete equally. So a game is balanced if offensive strikes and more defensive approaches can both seem like a good idea. Or if introverts and extroverts can play against one another, using their different strengths. Balance, more than any other feature, is what makes a classic game.
What do the players focus on, at each stage of the game? Do competitive or race condition tasks take players focus off of each other, and is that desired? Does a difficult task take focus off how a player is being perceived? If there are moments of conviviality, how does focus come to be on the group feeling?
Is there a rhythm to the engagement of the game? Does it give people time to breathe, to appreciate their accomplishments, to plan? Are there quiet moments, or moments of sub-group intimacy / knowing eye contact / etc?
At what level are players able to contribute something of their own? Do they invent their own strategy? Is there a performative quality they can bring? Are their creative tasks? Does a player have room to really invent or are they pressured to optimize? Is their contribution actually of consequence or is it merely a gloss?
Redesign notes:
For even more gaming inspiration, visit the Human Systems Library:
📓 Notes:
Just can't get enough?
(rename this page: your name, name of space jam)