InfoQ Q&A: Why Work + Play Is the Secret to Success

Luke Hohmann, Innovation Games Inventor and keynote speaker at Playcamp Paris & London.

InfoQ's Shane Hastie recently interviewed Innovation Games Inventor Luke Hohmann about the upcoming Playcamps in Paris & London, why collaborative play is an important part of his work, and why he believes it should be part of your work too. Read on for sample, or check it out on InfoQ.com.

Q: Luke, You have been incorporating serious games and collaborative play into your work for more than a decade. What makes "play" and "games" such an important part of your work?

A: Human beings really are hardwired for play--despite the fact that somewhere in history, people began to see "work" and "play" as opposite concepts. We use more of our brains when absorbed in play, then when we're performing simple analytical tasks--there have been countless studies on the connection between play and learning, including a recent study by cognitive scientists on the increased brain wave patterns of eight year olds while playing with Legos.

Beyond research though, just think of the last time you really accomplished something at work. Or how it felt when you really worked well within a team. By using serious games and collaborative play, you can get that moment, that flow, much more often.

Read more at InfoQ.com.

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