Field Notes
Field Notes
Play isn’t a break from work. It’s actually part of the work itself.
Play isn’t a break from work. It’s actually part of the work itself.
Design often begins in those small gaps between activities.
Design often begins in those small gaps between activities.
by
Sukari Keetin
I’ve been sold the idea that serious work looks like spreadsheets, strategy decks, and structured processes, and that play is what happens after, or worse, not at all. But the most impactful design work I've done has started with play.
Honestly, play is how I discover things the brief never mentioned. It might start as a sketch or by putting together random objects in my apartment, and that can turn into a whole system. The question "what if I tried this?" sometimes leads to a component used across the platform. Play isn't about skipping rigor; it's where I find the raw material for it.
Play brings clarity.
Data shows you what's happening, but play shows you what's possible. When I build a new part of a design system or rethink a workflow for automation and scale, real breakthroughs don't come from just looking at success metrics. They come from the unstructured space where I can break the pattern and put it back together in a new way. The metrics come later. Without play, you only improve what's already there. You never create what should exist.
Play creates momentum.
This is what many creatives overlook. Play isn't just chaos. The best creative people treat play like powerlifters treat strength training: it's deliberate, it's regular, and it's where you build the instincts you need when it matters most. In growth design, this might look like rapid prototyping without worrying about the outcome. It can mean testing a wild idea alongside a safe one. It means letting yourself explore before you settle on a solution.
Play is the engine.
When organizations remove play from their culture, their teams can get things done but stop innovating. They might deliver faster, but they stop asking better questions. If you're designing systems, building platforms, or creating products that need to scale—where one insight can affect the whole organization—then play isn't just a nice-to-have. It's what drives progress.
So what does this look like in practice?
It means setting aside time to explore without worrying about deliverables. It means seeing experiments as chances to learn, not as failures. It means leaders show curiosity instead of just asking for results. And it means noticing that the designer who is "just playing around" might be about to come up with the idea that changes your whole plan.
I’ve been sold the idea that serious work looks like spreadsheets, strategy decks, and structured processes, and that play is what happens after, or worse, not at all. But the most impactful design work I've done has started with play.
Honestly, play is how I discover things the brief never mentioned. It might start as a sketch or by putting together random objects in my apartment, and that can turn into a whole system. The question "what if I tried this?" sometimes leads to a component used across the platform. Play isn't about skipping rigor; it's where I find the raw material for it.
Play brings clarity.
Data shows you what's happening, but play shows you what's possible. When I build a new part of a design system or rethink a workflow for automation and scale, real breakthroughs don't come from just looking at success metrics. They come from the unstructured space where I can break the pattern and put it back together in a new way. The metrics come later. Without play, you only improve what's already there. You never create what should exist.
Play creates momentum.
This is what many creatives overlook. Play isn't just chaos. The best creative people treat play like powerlifters treat strength training: it's deliberate, it's regular, and it's where you build the instincts you need when it matters most. In growth design, this might look like rapid prototyping without worrying about the outcome. It can mean testing a wild idea alongside a safe one. It means letting yourself explore before you settle on a solution.
Play is the engine.
When organizations remove play from their culture, their teams can get things done but stop innovating. They might deliver faster, but they stop asking better questions. If you're designing systems, building platforms, or creating products that need to scale—where one insight can affect the whole organization—then play isn't just a nice-to-have. It's what drives progress.
So what does this look like in practice?
It means setting aside time to explore without worrying about deliverables. It means seeing experiments as chances to learn, not as failures. It means leaders show curiosity instead of just asking for results. And it means noticing that the designer who is "just playing around" might be about to come up with the idea that changes your whole plan.
