The Magic Circle of the Visitor Experience [Designing for Playful Engagement]

Progress Circle and MaP³ participants: You do not have to purchase a ticket; If you’d like to participate, please leave a comment on this event (“add me”). @Ed Rodley's Designing for Playful Engagement in Museums offers a sophisticated framework grounded in psychology, neuroscience, and human-computer interaction that treats visitor experience as serious design work. At the heart of playful engagement is what Rodley calls “the magic circle” of the museum experience, that special space that is created by the interaction of people, objects, and interaction alibis. His approach to immersion, emotion, narrative, and gameplay provides practical tools for creating the kinds of memorable experiences that visitors seek and that museums aspire to but often struggle to achieve.  The book raises fascinating questions about how institutions can leverage their expertise to create genuine human connection. This creates rich territory for exploration: How do sophisticated engagement strategies serve the deeper purposes people are pursuing? What happens when we apply Rodley’s tools not just to make experiences more compelling, but to support the specific kinds of progress people are trying to make in their lives and help them achieve valuable personal, social, and intellectual outcomes?  Session ScheduleEach 75-minute session includes structured reading time followed by project-focused discussion. Volunteer discussion leaders from the MaP community will help connect chapter concepts to specific institutional challenges. • Session 1: The Magic Circle of the Visitor Experience (Chapter 1) • Session 2: Sensory Immersion (Chapter 2)   • Session 3: Emotional Evocation (Chapter 3)   • Session 3: Narrative Transportation and Storytelling (Chapter 4) • Session 4: Gameful Participation + Putting Together the Pieces of Playful Engagement (Chapters 5 & 6) Project-Based Learning ApproachParticipants are invited (but not required) to bring active institutional projects. We’ll use those examples to discuss how Rodley’s principles apply to your current work — exhibition concepts, program development challenges, visitor experience initiatives — projects where you’re translating institutional expertise into public experiences. The collaborative framework explores how Rodley’s engagement strategies can serve both institutional capabilities and the meaningful goals people bring to cultural experiences. About Ed RodleyRodley is an award-winning experience designer and Co-Founder and Principal at The Experience Alchemists (TEA), an experience design firm serving the cultural sector. He has over thirty-five years of experience in envisioning, creating, and implementing visitor-focused projects. His current work explores how institutions can create meaningful visitor experiences through thoughtful application of immersion, emotion, narrative, and gameplay principles.  RegistrationGeneral Registration: $150 for complete series. Registration includes session access, reading guidance, and collaborative project consultation. Session recordings will be available in the Progress Insights space. Space is limited to ensure quality discussion. Registration closes when capacity is reached.