How can PLAY improve the Design Process?

By Harry Mahler • October 2025

When we think about design, words like research, strategy, or problem-solving often come to mind. Play, on the other hand, might sound out of place—something that belongs in childhood rather than in the serious world of business and innovation. Yet play is not only relevant to design, it is essential.

“Play is one of the primary instincts of all human beings”.

– Huizinga

At its core, play is about curiosity, imagination, and exploration. It allows us to view the world differently, test possibilities, and generate ideas without fear of failure. Play encourages experimentation, and experimentation is what leads to breakthroughs. Without room for play, design risks becoming formulaic, repeating the same solutions instead of discovering new ones.

Keeping Design Human

At its core, design is about people—understanding their needs, creating meaningful experiences, and imagining new futures. Play connects us to the human side of design. It enhances empathy by helping us better understand the needs of people and reminding us that design is not only about solving problems but also about inspiring possibility.

Play leads to Imagination

Imagination leads to Creativity

Creativity leads to Design Innovation

It allows us to step outside our own assumptions and imagine experiences from another perspective. At the same time, it heightens our ability to imagine possibilities and see things in new ways. In this sense, play becomes an integral part of the design process, facilitating easier connection with others and the generation of more innovative ideas.

Play as Work

Play is not the opposite of work. It is a way of working—a mindset—that keeps creativity alive. It allows designers to step outside the strict boundaries of function and feasibility, giving space to curiosity, imagination, and discovery. When we permit ourselves to play, we open the door to surprising connections and fresh perspectives that might otherwise remain hidden.

Play is make-believe, engaging imagination and fostering creative awareness.

For designers working in both product and software fields, play can take many forms. It might mean sketching without limits before narrowing down options. It might involve building rough prototypes to see how people interact with them. In digital design, play can mean exploring wild ideas with generative AI tools or creating speculative scenarios to challenge conventional thinking. Each of these methods encourages an openness to surprise—an essential ingredient in creativity.

Play also helps balance the pressures of the design profession. Designers often face strict deadlines, demanding clients, and complex challenges. Bringing play into the process can reduce stress, foster collaboration, and keep teams motivated. Play isn’t frivolous; it’s a way to sustain energy and enthusiasm over the long term.

Play enhances empathy, clarifies people’s needs, and heightens imaginative thought.

Design Innovation

There is also a significant connection between play and innovation. Some of the most successful design-driven companies are those that encourage playful thinking. They create environments where exploration is valued, where people feel free to try, fail, and try again. This mindset not only generates better solutions but also fosters a stronger culture, making teams more resilient and adaptable in the face of change.

The outcome of play in the design process is unpredictable due to unexpected choices, leading designers to generate innovative solutions.

Samples Ways to Bring Play Into Design

If you’d like to experiment with play in your own process, here are a few simple tools and exercises:

• Scenarios: Frame your design challenge as a short story, complete with characters, obstacles, and a clear resolution. This encourages imagination and human-centred thinking.
• Journey Maps: Explore the user activity by mapping out the journey “touch point by touch point” and identifying the joy in the design outcome.
• Sketch Sprints: Generate as many rough sketches as possible, without judgment or polish. Quantity over quality—let ideas flow – brainstorming.
• Rapid Prototyping: Utilize simple materials, such as paper, cardboard, or digital wireframes, to quickly mock up ideas. The point is speed and iteration, not perfection.
• Role-Play: Step into the shoes of your users or customers. Imagine how they might interact with an existing design. This playful perspective often sparks empathy-driven insights.
• Creative Constraints: Give yourself playful rules – design using predetermined criteria, such as functional, visual, or emotive constraints. Constraints fuel originality.

As part of the Canadian Design Network, we see play as a shared value in the community. It’s a reminder that design is not just about meeting functional needs but about imagining better futures. By embracing play, designers allow themselves to dream big, collaborate openly, and push the boundaries of what design can achieve.

Ultimately, play is not a distraction from design—it is the spark that keeps design alive.

Play > Imagination > Creativity > Innovation

About Harry Mahler

Harry Mahler is a retired design educator, practicing designer, and founder of the Canadian Design Network. With years of experience in teaching and design, he now focuses on supporting and celebrating Canada’s design community through CDN.