How to think like an ant

More-than-human design
Game design

Project Overview

This interactive experience was a gamified effort to encourage participants to think through the lens of an ant. The goal was to help people understand the perspective of another species, explore their decision-making priorities, and gain insights into how swarm behavior relates to systemic thinking.

Team

Tejaswini Nagesh
‍Design (Research and designing the activities)

‍

Pranav Balasubramanium
‍PhD research on ant behaviour
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Duration

October 2023
2hrs workshop
‍

Partners

Canopy Collective

Presented at:
Relating Systems Design Conference, NID Ahmedabad
Student Conference on Conservation Science

Project Intent

The design of this workshop aimed to provide participants, with backgrounds in both design and conservation/biology, a fresh perspective on complex systems by understanding and appreciating the intricate systems and strategies of ants. The goal was to draw parallels between ant behavior and systemic issues in the present world, fostering insights into collective action, organization, and problem-solving.