How can games be one of the most effective ways to explore the most serious issues and problems of our time? While games may seem like a childhood pastime, they are also a powerful way to describe how things work systemically - in fact, you could say that games are the pop cultural form of systems. By playing games, we interact with systems and learn how they work – and the biggest problems we face today, from climate change to conflict – are often caused by complex systems and their interactions. In this session, you’ll learn the methodologies and theories behind game design as well as strategies for creating interactive experiences that reflect –and potentially change – the issues that affect us.

Colleen Macklin is an Associate Professor in Design and Technology at Parsons School of Design in New York City and Co-Director of PETLab (Prototyping Education and Technology Lab), a lab focused on developing games for experimental learning and social engagement. PETLab projects include a curriculum in game design for the Boys and Girls Club, games in disaster preparedness for theRed Cross, and big games such as Re:Activism and the “fiscal” sport Budgetball. She is a member of the game design collective Local No.12, known for their card game the Metagame.

BeirutDesignWeek BDW