Ostranenie: A Game for Sparking Creative Ideas

“Ostranenie” is not just a board game; it’s an interactive journey into the realms of creativity and imagination. Developed as part of Jon Lockhart’s  PhD research thesis with ArtLab, the game takes its name from the literary concept of “defamiliarisation,” a technique that makes the familiar seem strange, sparking new perspectives.

In Ostranenie, players are guided through prompts and scenarios; they are immersed in a world of fun and playfulness that challenges them to rethink conventional approaches and engage in lateral thinking. Introducing elements of absurdity and playfulness helps break down rigid thought patterns and encourages participants to generate fresh, often unconventional ideas. Encouraging exploration and experimentation.

Ostranenie transforms seemingly silly or outlandish ideas into practical solutions. As players engage with the game’s creative prompts, they experience moments of surprise and discovery, unlocking new perspectives on familiar problems. These imaginative leaps can be applied in various contexts, from everyday challenges to innovative approaches in education, business, or design. By making the process fun and interactive, Ostranenie creates an environment where ideas flow freely, without the inhibitions often associated with formal mind mapping methods.

Ostranenie is a work of defamiliarisation, a concept rooted in Russian formalist theory. Defamiliarisation involves taking something familiar and presenting it in a way that makes it strange, causing the audience to see it with fresh eyes. This process is essential in creative problem-solving, where new perspectives are key. In Ostranenie, players are invited to make the mundane unfamiliar through playful disruptions, generating new, creative solutions. This method encourages participants to go beyond surface-level thinking, exploring the deeper potential of an idea or concept.

In the context of education, Ostranenie aligns with the growing understanding of how essential it is to cultivate opportunities for imagination, play, and what can be termed “considered uncertainty.” Both students and staff benefit from engaging in activities that push them to explore without the fear of failure or judgment. By introducing elements of play into problem-solving, Ostranenie allows participants to embrace uncertainty, experiment with ideas, and develop critical thinking skills in a relaxed, enjoyable environment. These kinds of creative exercises are especially valuable in schools, where imaginative thinking is often overshadowed by more structured, outcome-driven tasks.

The next stage for Ostranenie is to distribute the game widely, with a particular focus on educational settings. Plans for distribution via teacher training programs and educational conferences are already underway. This will allow educators to incorporate Ostranenie into their classrooms, giving students and staff the tools to explore creative problem-solving in a structured yet flexible way. As the game gains traction, it has the potential to transform how creativity is nurtured in schools, helping foster a new generation of problem-solvers who can approach challenges with fresh, inventive perspectives.