In a world that often values predictability, what if we embraced the unexpected? Card #21 from the Arplaytecture deck challenges us to shift our perspective:
As if you were a child, let yourself be surprised and inspired by unexpected user-related discoveries.
This fresh approach not only helps us free ourselves from assumptions but also leads to innovative solutions.
Let’s explore how to focus on surprises at every stage of the design thinking process—Empathise, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. Along the way, we’ll dig deeper into contradictions and uncover the magic of the unexpected.
Empathise: Look for Contradictions and Unexpected Insights
The first step is to observe and empathise with the users of the space. Here’s where the card’s advice takes center stage:
When you spot a contradiction between what you see and what you expect, it’s a sign that you should dig deeper.1
For example, if you’re designing a park and notice that users avoid sitting in sunny spots even when benches are placed there, ask yourself why. Could you surprise them by designing shade solutions that also serve as playful elements, like living tree canopies or interactive installations? Approach the project with a childlike curiosity, and let unexpected patterns inspire your process.
Define: Frame the Problem Around Surprise
Once you’ve uncovered user insights, it’s time to define the design challenge. But instead of focusing on conventional solutions, shift your perspective to embrace the unexpected. For example, instead of asking, “How can we make this library more functional?” try asking, “How can this library inspire joy and curiosity in ways users don’t expect?”
Surprises often come from reframing the problem itself. By removing assumptions, you’ll open yourself to innovative ideas.
Ideate: Brainstorm Playful Surprises
This is where the fun truly begins! With a focus on surprises, ideate as if you were a child. What playful, unexpected elements can transform a user’s experience? Try these techniques:
Contradiction Mapping: Identify where expectations clash with reality and brainstorm how to use these moments to delight users.
Playful Provocation: What’s the wildest, most imaginative twist you can add to a traditional design?
For example, could a quiet café suddenly reveal secret “playrooms” behind rotating bookshelves? Could a staircase surprise users by becoming a musical instrument as they step? Let go of limitations and explore bold possibilities.
Prototype: Test Surprises in Small Steps
Bring your most promising ideas to life by prototyping them. Focus on capturing the essence of the surprise. For example:
Physical Prototypes: Build a miniature version of a surprising design element, like a bench that turns into a seesaw when pressure is applied.
Experience Mockups: Use simple materials or digital tools to create a walkthrough experience, showing users how they might interact with the surprise.
The goal is to understand how the surprise will impact users—and whether it inspires delight or confusion. Keep the playful spirit alive!
Test: Observe the Reactions
Finally, test your prototype with real users. Observe their expressions and actions:
Did they notice the surprise? Did it spark joy, curiosity, or engagement? How could the design be refined to maximize the payoff of the unexpected?
Iterate on your findings, allowing the feedback to enhance the surprise factor while ensuring functionality.
The Power of the Unexpected
By focusing on surprises, you unlock new ways to connect with users and create meaningful, memorable experiences. As Card #21 wisely advises:
To be able to recognise these surprises, you will have to free yourself from your assumptions. The payoff is great: your solution will likely be innovative.
So, let yourself think like a child. Embrace curiosity. Celebrate contradictions. Dig deeper into the unexpected. The results might just surprise you—and your users.
Cultivating Surprises Through Cross-Pollination
Wearing the lenses of the Cross-Pollinator transforms this challenge into an opportunity to connect surprises with design inspirations drawn from diverse sources explicitly. While the card invites us to embrace surprises, the Cross-Pollinator role helps identify where and how these surprises can be cultivated by bridging seemingly unrelated ideas.
Broaden Inspiration: The Cross-Pollinator thrives on discovering patterns, metaphors, and techniques from related and unrelated fields. In architecture, for example, how stadium acoustics guide sound distribution could inspire the design of intimate concert halls. Similarly, understanding how pedestrian flows in urban plazas mimic natural waterways might inspire circulation layouts in large public spaces.
Merge Insights: Applying the Cross-Pollinator lens sharpens the focus on blending disparate ideas to create unique surprises. For instance, borrowing spatial strategies from open-plan coworking offices might inform the design of libraries that encourage collaboration while maintaining quiet zones. These connections allow for transformative innovation by combining the best of different approaches.
Use Constraints as Opportunities: Surprises often emerge when limitations are reframed as opportunities. A Cross-Pollinator might examine how compact, multi-functional designs in small apartments can inform modular seating in public spaces, offering both functionality and delight. When viewed through this lens, constraints become fertile ground for innovative surprises.
Refine through Diversity: The Cross-Pollinator role emphasises the value of interdisciplinary feedback to refine ideas. For example, collaborating with urban planners, environmental designers, and even behavioural psychologists can reveal fresh perspectives that elevate surprising elements in a project. Testing solutions across these diverse groups ensures the surprise resonates broadly and effectively.
Ultimately, the Cross-Pollinator narrows the challenge by explicitly linking the discovery of surprises to integrating diverse perspectives and techniques. This role demonstrates that surprises result from intentional exploration, creative connections, and openness to the unknown.
- Kelley, T., Kelley, D. (2013). Creative Confidence. Unleashing the creative potential within us. London: HarperCollins Publishers.
