I denna uppsats undersöker vi Game/Media Jam, Hackathon och liknande koncept och försökerskapa en metod för att ta fram en modell för deras topologi. Vi ämnar att undersöka degemensamma punkterna Jams och Hackathons har via deras regler, samt jämföra detta med JamSessions. Vidare kommer vi försöka identifiera reglernas syften. Dessa syften sätter vi i entopologiskt mätbar intervall som sedan kan överföras på den topologisk modellen. Sedan användsdessa resultat för att jämföra regelrätta Jams/Hackathons, närliggande koncept och arrangemangsom endast har vissa gemensamma punkter med Jams, för att se om modellen kan påvisa om ettarrangemang har en känsla av Jam utan att faktiskt vara det. / In this thesis we will study Game/Media-Jams, Hackathons and similar concepts and try to establisha method to create a model for their topology. We intend to investigate what these concepts have incommon through their rules and compare that to Jam Sessions. Following this we will try to extractthe purpose of the rules. These purposes will then be put in topologically measurable intervals thatcan be transfered onto the topological model. The results will then be used to compareJams/Hackathons, similar concepts and events that only have a few things in common with Jams, tosee if the model can determine if an event is in the spirit of a Jam without actually being one.

This thesis sets out to explore why people engage in, and how to design for, play in a public setting. It does this by separating design for play from design of games, describing play as a socially and mentally understood activity, and a playful approach to engaging in that activity. It emphasises that while play is voluntary, design can help shape the players’ mode of engagement. The thesis uses a qualitative and inductive approach to research, with an understanding of knowledge as being constructed in the individual. The research is grounded in human computer interaction and interaction design, and closely related to game studies and design science. The research question concerns how design can influence the player activity in order to create a desired player experience in public, by harnessing playful engagement. It’s foundation is a theory of play which describes play as a framed, or hedged-off, activity with a fragile border; where knowledge and feelings can leak both in and out of the activity, and affect the play as well as what is around it. The theory of enjoyment of play is discussed, and the problem of treating this as ‘fun’ is addressed, concluding in a presentation of how playful engagement can be harnessed through design. The theory is applied in five design cases: I’m Your Body, a locative storytelling app; Codename Heroes, a pervasive game of personal empowerment; Passing On, a slow-paced game about communication; Busking Studies, which involves observing street performers and their shows; and DigiFys, an architectural design exploration of playgrounds and play paths. Finally, three concepts, or design tools, are presented, which address: 1) a structure for understanding a design through three layers, constructs designed by the designer, inspiring play activity with the player, leading to experience; 2) an approach to designing invitations to play; and finally 3), a four faceted structure for understanding play engagement when players engage in non intended ways.