Transcript
Page 1: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

FLOW: Play and CreativityIt’s the Play that Makes Serious Play Serious

Serious Play ConferenceAugust 21, 2013

Seattle, WA

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, PhDQuality of Life Research CenterClaremont Graduate University

Claremont, CA

COPYRIGHT © 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Page 2: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

Outline• Why is Play Serious?

• Flow: The Experience of Play

• The Elements of Flow

• What Makes Flow Happen

• Flow at Work

• Flow is Good Business

• The Making of an Interactive Simulation

Game for Teaching Flow to Managers.

Page 3: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

What Is Serious About Play?

• Playfulness is necessary for personal development, from infancy to old age

• Playfulness is a necessary component

of creativity• Playfulness is an important component of

cultural evolution

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 4: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

What is Playfulness?

• Playfulness is a quality of experience

people feel when they do something they enjoy doing for its own sake,

usually in games, sports, artistic activities, but also in work and other “serious” activities.

• In what follows, I shall describe playfulness as the Flow Experience.

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 5: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

DESCRIPTION OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE

WHEN WRITING POETRY

“You‘re right in the work, you lose your sense of time,

you’re completely enraptured, you‘re completely caught up

in what you’re doing…. there‘s no future or past, it’s just an

extended present in which you‘re making meaning…”

PoetMark Strand, 1991

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 6: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

“To go into a dark room and look through the microscope and see these glowing objects which may be moving around or may be stationary, and in different colors – it's a video game, if you will. It's just beautiful…I can sit in front of a microscope for three or four hours at a time, just looking at the material and analyzing it….I can be very disconcerting to other people in the degree to which I can concentrate on something and not pay too much attention to what's going on around me.”

DESCRIPTION OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCEWHEN DOING RESEARCH

Cell biologist Joseph G. Gall, 1991

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 7: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

You Must Have Flow to Do Something Creative.

But You Can Have Flow Even if You Work on An Assembly Line.

So . . . What is Flow?

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 8: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (1.)

– Attention is focused on a limited stimulus field. There is full concentration, complete involvement.

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 9: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

“Concentration is like breathing: you never

think of it. The roof could fall in and, if it missed

you, you would be unaware of it.”

Chess player

(Csikszentmihalyi, 1975)

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (2.)

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 10: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

– Attention is focused on a limited stimulus field. There is full concentration, complete involvement.

– Action and awareness merge

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (3.)

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 11: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

“You’re so involved in what you’re doing, you aren’t

thinking about yourself as separate from the immediate

activity. You’re no longer a participant observer, only a

participant. You’re moving in harmony with something else

you’re part of.”

Rock climber

(Csikszentmihalyi, 1975)

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (4.)

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 12: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

– Attention is focused on a limited stimulus field. There is full concentration, complete involvement.

– Action and awareness merge.

– There is freedom from worry about failure.

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (5.)

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 13: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

“You feel like…there’s nothing that will be able

to stop you or get in your way. And you’re ready to tackle anything, and you don’t fear any possibility happening, and it’s just

exhilarating.”

Cyclist(Jackson & Csikszentmihalyi, 1999)

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (6.)

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 14: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

– Attention is focused on a limited stimulus field. There is full concentration, complete involvement.

– Action and awareness merge.

– There is freedom from worry about failure.

– Self-consciousness disappears.

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (7.)

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 15: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

“You are not aware of the body except your hands….not aware of self or personal

problems….If involved, you are not aware of aching feet,

not aware of self.”

Surgeon (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975)

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (8.)

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 16: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

– Attention is focused on a limited stimulus field. There is full concentration, complete involvement.

– Action and awareness merge.

– There is freedom from worry about failure.

– Self-consciousness disappears.

– The sense of time becomes distorted.

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (9.)

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 17: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

“Two things happen…. After it’s passed, [time] seems to have

passed really fast. I see that it’s one o’clock in the morning and I

say, ‘Ah-ha, just a few minutes ago it was eight o’clock.’ But then while I’m dancing…it seems like it’s been

much longer than it really was.”

Social dancer (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975)

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (10.)

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 18: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

– Attention is focused on a limited stimulus field. There is full concentration, complete involvement.

– Action and awareness merge.

– There is freedom from worry about failure.

– Self-consciousness disappears.

– The sense of time becomes distorted.

– The experience become its own reward - auto-telic.

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (11.)

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 19: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

“Do it for the satisfaction it gives….This is what I tell my students. Don’t expect to make money, don’t expect fame or a pat on the back, don’t expect a damn thing. Do it because

you love it.”

Composer(Csikszentmihalyi, 1975)

DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE (12.)

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 20: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

TO SUMMARIZE:DIMENSIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE

– Attention is focused on a limited stimulus field. There is full concentration, complete involvement.

– Action and awareness merge.

– There is freedom from worry about failure.

– Self-consciousness disappears.

– The sense of time becomes distorted.

– The experience become its own reward - auto-telic.

…WHAT CONDITIONS FOSTER FLOW?

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 21: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

CONDITIONS OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE

1. There are clear goals every step of the way.

2. There is immediate feedback to one's action.

3. There is a balance between challenges and skills.

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 22: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

HIGHC

ha

llen

ges

Skills

FLOW

BOREDOM

ANXIETY

HIGH

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 23: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

Ch

alle

ng

es

Skills

A B

C

D EFlow

BOREDOM

ANXIETYH

igh

HighLow

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 24: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

Arousal

Flow

Control

RelaxationBoredom

Apathy

Worry

Anxiety

SKILLS highlow

high

CHALLENGES

Favorite activity, Hobby, Work,

Love Life

Driving, Work

Eating, Reading, Conversation

Work,Household Chores

Loneliness,TV Viewing

Family Problems,

Work Hassles

Work Stress, Sudden Threats

New Tasks, Learning

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 25: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

• 4 YEARS IN THE MAKING

• A MULTI-NATIONAL TEAM

• LONG EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING SIMULATION LEARNING TOOLS

• CONCEPTUAL BASE: FLOW AND GOOD BUSINESS

Creating an interactive Flow toolfor managers

© 2013 BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI

Page 26: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

Csikszentmihalyi’sFLOW for Business™the ultimate leadership simulation game and blended learning solution

Page 27: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

Narrative Context – The Turul Winery

www.fligby.com - www.facebook.com/fligby 27

Good Games haveGood Backstories

The player takes on the role of the General Manager of the well-established and well-known Turul Winery, in California and faces the challenging task of having to achieve a state of harmony and co-operation in a team significantly weakened by internal conflicts. Will it be possible to win the international "Spirit of Wine Award" as a direct result of leadership skills and efforts?

Check out Turul’s website (www.turulwinery.com)

©2013 ALEAS Simulations, Inc. California

Page 28: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

What is FLIGBY®?

„FLOW for Business™” (FLIGBY®) is an online game-based Leadership

Development Simulation. This is the official Flow program for decision makers. The simulation allows you to test your leadership skills, provides a unique Flow-based self-assessment opportunity and guides you on a path towards optimizing a "Flow-centric" corporate culture.

©2013 ALEAS Simulations, Inc. California

Page 29: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

FLIGBY’s Screen Structure (Main User Interface)

29www.fligby.com - www.facebook.com/fligby

“Magic FLIGBY Button”

“Full Screen” Button

Control Panel

Next Button

Flow Gauge Button

FLIGBY Media Library

Subtitle Field

Virtual Time in the

Story

Link to Turul

Winery’s external website

Flow Trophies

©2013 ALEAS Simulations, Inc. California

Page 30: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

FLIGBY’s Screen Structure (Flow Gauge - 1)

30www.fligby.com - www.facebook.com/fligby

ThePROFITABILITY INDEX shows how a player's decision impacts Turul Winery's revenue generating ability.

“Flow Status / Personal Profile” Switch FLOW Meter of the Winery

Quick Links to Personal Profiles

Changes in the Flow State

"Flow Meter" is the CORPORATE ATMOSPHERE METER of the Turul Winery which shows the average mood inside the organization.

Profitability Index of the Winery

©2013 ALEAS Simulations, Inc. California

Page 31: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

31www.fligby.com - www.facebook.com/fligby

Leadership Skills Tested by FLIGBY®

The extensive research which was part of the development of FLIGBY®, partly on the basis of the Professor Csikszentmihalyi’s book titled “Good Business”, identified the leadership skills contributing to create and maintain the Flow-state. These 29 skills were named “FLIGBY Leadership Skillset”.

The course and the decision points of the game were built up to test these leadership skills.

1.Active

Listening 2.

Analyzing Skill

3. Assertive-

ness4.

Balancing Skill

5. Building Engage-

ment

6. Business-oriented Thinking

7. Commu-nication

Skill

8. Conflict-mana-

gement

9. Delegating

10. Diploma-tic Skills

11. Emotional

Intelli-gence

12. Empower-

ment

13. Enterpre-nuership

14. Execution

Skills

15. Feedback

Skill

16. Future-focused Thinking

17. Information Gathering

18. Intuitive Thinking

19.Involvement

20. Motivati-onal Skills

21. Organi-

zing Skills

22. Prioriza-tion Skill

23. Quick Decision-making

24. Realizing Personal Strenghts

25. Social System

Thinking

26. Social Responsi-

bility

27. Strategic Thinking

28. Teamwork

Mana-gement

29. Time Manage-

ment Skills

©2013 ALEAS Simulations, Inc. California

Page 32: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

32

Professional Reporting

This part of FLIGBY®’s feedback system is for professional use: Several Leadership Skills are tested at the same time at the Strategic Decision Points of the game. If the player makes a right decision the system raises the values of the skills belonging to that certain decision point on the player’s assessment sheet. This means that the „relative strength” of the certain skills in the players’ leadership styles can be concluded from the decisions they make.

The strategic decision points test several relevant leadership skills at the same time.

The game tests each skill on the basis of several decisions. This multiple testing ensures the reliability of the feedback.

©2013 ALEAS Simulations, Inc. California

Page 33: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi- Quality of Life Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

”YOU CAN DISCOVER MORE ABOUT A PERSON IN AN HOUR OF PLAY, THAN IN A YEAR OF CONVERSATION”

Plato, (c. 429-347 B.C.)


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