Pushing Through Uncertainty
Ang Qiao
My thesis will attempt to rejuvenate our confidence in uncertainty. The key to finding comfort in uncertainty is play. The term “play” is a casual way to describe experimental interaction without serious consequences. Of course, this is what children do all day long. My capstone project involves developing a system of play based on building blocks–specifically for adults. I will offer suggestions and prompts to inspire play that will help reconstruct people’s self-confidence, to break the ties between self and fear.
Pushing Through Uncertainty
My project involves developing a system of play based on building blocks–specifically for adults. In my work, I attempt to offer suggestions and prompts to inspire play that will help reconstruct our self-confidence, by rebuilding our curiosity, in the same way that we all endured as children.
Blocks
In my work, I attempt to offer suggestions and prompts to inspire play that will help reconstruct our self-confidence, by rebuilding our curiosity, in the same way that we all endured as children.
Play with the blocks
Furthermore, I focused on how people can create without room to overthink and remove the option for self-doubt. My work aims to create experiences where audiences can feel safe to develop however they want.
The different colors, shapes and textures of the blocks
These blocks attempt to inspire new creation through form and ideation. The blocks themselves offer unique shapes, colors and textures, but in order to use these blocks, I offer the users to engage with the blocks through a series of prompts. Whereas legos will guide you to build a car or a house, my hope is to offer participants a space to create something much more abstract, something aspirational.
Some answers
I asked my participants to create something for which there is no wrong answer. Users are asked to rely upon their gut reaction, to create with instincts, intuition and interact with the blocks in real-time. If there is no wrong answer, then one cannot fail while playing with these blocks. Responding instinctually aims to remove any opportunity to over-think. Moreover, leaning into ambiguity aims to give others the opportunity to create and discover.
Thesis book
Thesis book
For my thesis book, I created a guidebook to help people create without the fear of failure. For its colorful properties, the book is printed entirely with Riso.
The book of shapes
The first part of the book introduces the reader to a series of shapes of various colors and sizes. While there is no text in this section, I offer something else to read: endless potential and possibility through shape and color. I invite the reader to activate their senses and discover something that speaks to them.