Sherlocked

A couple of months ago I submitted a proposal for a small game design workshop for the MuseumNext Live Conference in London. Jim Richardson’s reaction: ‘Can you give a keynote for 450 people instead?’. I loved the question! Next week Thursday at 14:00 I’ll be sharing my insights on creating an escape game in one of the most guarded buildings in the Netherlands where everything is worth a fortune. I’ll be speaking at the Royal Geographical Society, isn’t that cool?! Also, I’ve changed my talk a bit based on the response of last weeks poll. It’s now more about giving you the tools to create something in your museum, using the Rijksmuseum as a case study to give examples of what that could look like in the wild. I believe museums have so many cool stories to tell. Let’s find more ways to tell them! Will I see you there? #keynote #speaker #Museum #Experiencedesign #Escapegame #storytelling #immersive Sherlocked

Is play too childish to tackle real-world challenges? Despite research indicating that the state of play is one of the most enriching modes of human exploration, there's often a bias that play is unserious and unsuitable for the adult world. In October, we had the opportunity to challenge and debunk this assumption. In Nairobi, Kenya, we were tasked with infusing playfulness and 'pockets of wow' into the CGIAR 'Week of Science and Practice of Scaling Agri-food System Innovation.' Our goal was to support researchers, corporations, and government representatives working on solutions for Africa's food and water supply through playful methods and meaningful interactions. Collaborating with our partners at Sherlocked Konstantin Mitgutsch, and Francine Boon developed a unique framework to not only gamify the conference but to enrich the way people engage, freeing up their minds and introducing new forms of creative thinking and acting. Playful interactions seamlessly wove into the regular program, incorporating tools from game design, innovation hacks, intuitive exploration, co-creation, and a fun magic cocktail challenge, accompanied by a unique mix of improvisational music featuring African drums and classical violin. What we cherished the most was witnessing not only the transformation of participants but also how the staff, including the wonderful catering team, and the entire conference space became integral to the experience. Play has the power to illuminate even the toughest problems, and that's where its greatest strength lies. If you're curious about how we can transform your conference, workshop, or gathering, reach out. And if you're concerned that play might not be serious enough, let's challenge that assumption together—it will be worth it. 🇰🇪 🎲 🎉