Playful Essays
2016: Kenneth Friedman
Kenny Friedman, a junior in Electrical Engineering, worked on defining a new space of interactive content which he oxymoronically calls Playful Essays. The goal of playful essays is to combine the linear narrative of text, while incorporating interactive elements of play as "mini-games" to be played while the narrative is read. This blend of explained content and the ability to playfully explore models, enables the user to: better understand the topic they are reading, explore ideas that have not been mentioned in the text, and enjoy absorbing content in a more engaged manner. Kenny also provides a set of heuristics that should be used when designing playful essays to increase impact on the user. [Project Report]
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Mikael Jakobsson is the Research Coordinator for the MIT Game Lab. With a background in interaction design, he investigates the interrelations between games as designed artifacts and social/cultural practices of play through design exploration, cultural analysis, and critical inquiry.