About the cards
Melbourne creative agency Eco Innovators
sustainability mischief again with their
a deck of 50 quirky playing cards designed
inspire and explore design for sustainability.
Gamification is recognised as a valid educational
Design Play Cards assist educators convey
approaches to design problem solving
exercises.
The cards are divided into three groups
environmental design issues, the ‘Design
world solutions in action and the ‘Design
sustainable design thinking.
The Design Play Cards have been created
includes a deck of 50 playing cards designed
and inform designers and students abou
integrating sustainability into the design
number of flexible formats for using the
and design challenges. The cards are
in both secondary and tertiary design
in the United States.
Design Play Cards are available in the
cards style or as a FREE DIY ‘print and
versions are available from the
Design Play Cards website
www.designplaycards.com.
Design Play Cards: the FUN
way to discover sustainable
design thinking.
The Design Play Cards
Innovators is up to
their new Design Play Cards,
designed to challenge,
sustainability.
educational tool, and the
convey complex
solving using fun and engaging
groups: The ‘Design Problem’ set challenges players
Design Inspiration’ set encourages players to find
Design Strategy’ cards help players discover opportunities
created by award winning sustainable design practice
designed to challenge, inspire,
about opportunities for
design process. There are a
the cards including group play
being used with great success
design courses around Australia and
the traditional boxed deck of
and play’ download. Both
Design Play Cards [email protected]
www.ecoinnovators.com.au
Eco Innovators Pty Ltd
players to solve social and
find inspiration through real
opportunities through
practice Eco Innovators, and
Ph: 03 8669 2046
www.ecoinnovators.com.au
Eco Innovators Pty Ltd
Suite 12, Level 11
125 Swanston Street
Melbourne 3000
How to play!
There are many ways to use the design play cards. Here we have provided a few options that we think really work.
The cards can be used as a reference set or played with groups of people.
Group playing
Design Problem Solving
In small groups of between 2 – 6 players: give each group a design problem card and 1, 2 or 3 design strategy /
solution cards. Give the groups 20 minutes to solve the problem using the strategy cards. The groups report back to
the rest of the group and the best design is selected as a winner. This can also be played in rounds or heats with
shorter designing times.
Solutions Challenge
One group between 2 – 10 players: divide the cards out evenly among the group. One person starts and plays any
card into the centre. The person to their left has to then try and play a complimentary card such as a problem card:
‘e-waste’ gets solved by the strategy card: ‘disassembly’ or ‘recyclability’ or the inspiration card: “WEEE”. If no-one
contests the card played then they get to collect the cards as one set – which wins them one point. If the person
can’t play a card successfully then the next person to the left can try a play or pass and this continues until someone
wins the point. Play then resumes with a new card and continues clockwise until all the cards are gone or no more
cards can be played. The winner is the person with the most points at the end.
Memory Match
2 – 8 players: Place all of the cards on a table with the play side down. Take it in turns to turn over 2 cards and try
and match the problems with appropriate solutions or match strategies with inspiration cards that relate to them.
There are many matching options possible but the group decides if the match is correct and the player who turned
the two over gets to keep them as a point. Play continues until all the cards have been matched up and the winner is
the person with the most cards at the end of play.
Design Challenge Competition
Groups with any number of players but minimum of 2 groups: one design problem card is selected and the
appropriate design inspiration and strategy card that accompanies it. The challenge is set to solve the problem in a
set time (depending on how resolved the design outcome needs to be this will vary from half an hour to a full day).
The group with the best resolved design solution wins.
A Selection of the cards
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