In August, I attended #play14 in Kuala Lumpur, and in October, I joined the event in Singapore. Both experiences were unique and profoundly impactful for me. They taught me not only about games but also about culture, spirituality, and humanity.
I like to share some impressions and hopefully, they inspire you to get interested in this wonderful global community.
Breaking the Ice: The Opening Day
I went to the first #play14 event in KL without any special expectations. On the opening day, I was surprised by how the organizers crafted a long, fun-filled icebreaker session. The activities were designed to help everyone get to know each other, and by the end of the first afternoon, we all felt like friends. This set the tone for the next two days. Kudos to the organizer’s team for their thoughtful facilitation—their experience is truly amazing.
The Unconference Format
#play14 follows the unconference model, using Open Space Technology. This means there’s no prearranged agenda or speakers. Instead, the participants create the agenda each morning.
Having experienced Open Space at events like the Regional Scrum Gathering and Scrum Fest, I found #play14 to be exceptionally energetic and well-organized. The quick presentation of topics and the playful way participants kept the presenter on track (shouting “Play, play, play!” to hurry overlong presenters) created a vibrant atmosphere. The motto, “It’s the right time and the right people,” encouraged flexibility—you could join or leave sessions as you wished.
Inspiring Workshops
I joined several sessions that left a lasting impression. Here are some highlights:
Business Model Card Game (Facilitated by Wan Fadzil Adlan Wan Sidik)
Wan introduced a card game designed to rethink business models. Participants shared their business ideas and picked a card, which presented a new business model type—like “franchise” or “pay what you want.” The exercise challenged us to adapt our business ideas to these new models, sparking creativity and innovation.
Inspired by this, I downloaded the cards and plan to use them for my own business brainstorming sessions.
Storytelling: Strings of Pearls (Facilitated by Anna Ong)
In this workshop, we co-created a story together as a group. It started with one person saying the first sentence of the story—it could be anything, from something fantastical to something completely mundane. The person then walked to the left side of the room and stood there. Next, someone else stepped to the far right and provided the ending of the story—something completely unrelated to the beginning.
Once we had the start and end, a third participant stepped into the middle and added a part of the story that connected the two. Gradually, others filled in the gaps, adding sentences and expanding the narrative. The challenging part was ensuring that the story made sense while accommodating everyone’s unique contributions. In the end, we had a complete story that none of us could have imagined.
This exercise was incredibly fun and insightful. It highlighted the value of diverse perspectives and the power of co-creation. For teams, it’s a fantastic way to build trust and explore how collaboration can yield unexpected, meaningful results.
Zombie Game (Facilitated by Avi Z Liran)
This game illustrated the principles of complex adaptive systems and system dynamics. Approximately 20 participants arranged chairs around the room, leaving enough space for a “zombie” to walk between them. The number of chairs equalled the participants plus one, so there was always one empty chair. The zombie’s goal was to sit in the empty chair, and our task was to prevent it.
In the first round, we sat on chairs or stood nearby, trying to outmanoeuvre the zombie as it moved quickly toward the empty seat. Chaos ensued, with everyone scrambling to keep up. The zombie often succeeded because there was no real coordination among us. After each round, we paused to reflect and improve our approach.
Over several rounds, we began to understand the dynamics better. Instead of trying to occupy chairs preemptively, we moved strategically, staying near the chairs and only sitting when the zombie approached. This created a wave-like, rippling effect, making it harder for the zombie to reach the empty chair.
This game was a fantastic metaphor for addressing complex challenges. It demonstrated how a group could adapt and self-organize to achieve a shared goal. The experience was not only fun but also deeply educational, showing the importance of collective intelligence and agile thinking.
“But” vs. “And” Exercise (also by Avi)
In this exercise, we worked in pairs to simulate a conversation about shopping for a party. In the first round, one person suggested an item to buy, for example, “Let’s buy some tortilla chips.” The partner would reply with a counterargument using the word “but,” such as, “But chips are unhealthy, let’s buy cheese instead.” This back-and-forth continued, with each response starting with “but”. After two minutes, we were asked what we had in our shopping basket. Unsurprisingly, it was empty, as we had dismissed every idea.
For the second round, we replaced “but” with “and.” This time, if one person suggested, “Let’s buy some tortilla chips,” the partner responded positively, saying, “And we can also get cheese, which goes well with chips.” Each suggestion built upon the previous one, and by the end, our baskets were overflowing with items for the party.
This exercise was simple but powerful. It showed how a subtle change in language—replacing “but” with “and”—can shift a conversation from conflict to collaboration. It’s a valuable lesson in fostering positivity and creativity in both personal and professional interactions.
Want to Learn More?
Other memorable activities included the Silence Retrospective, a deeply spiritual experience that moved some participants to tears. If you’re curious about this or other practices, join us for our retrospective this Friday (12/20 at 20:30) or watch the video interview with Wan about #play14.
These events were more than just playful—they were transformative. They showed me how play can unlock creativity, build connections, and teach invaluable lessons about working together. I can’t wait for the next one!
