An icon representing bodystorming

Bodystorming

A hands-on or experiential method to gain insights through role play

Project Stage:
Develop

Who:
Customer
Experts
Decision makers

Design Principles:
01. We will put people first  02. We will design to be inclusive  09. We will build, test, learn & iterate 



Bodystorming is a physical, experiential design method where participants act out scenarios or simulate interactions with a service or environment. This helps teams gain deeper insights into how people might behave in real-world contexts and how designs can be improved.

Use it to

  • Test and explore user experiences in a real-world context.
  • Understand how a service might function in practice.
  • Identify practical improvements to design and service interactions through role-playing.

Top Tips

  • Set up an environment that closely mimics the real-world context.
  • Encourage participants to take on different roles (e.g., customer, employee).
  • Use props and real-world items to make the simulation as real as possible.
  • After each body storm, debrief on what was observed and learned.

How – to

  • Define a scenario relevant to the design challenge.
  • Set up a physical space that represents the environment.
  • Assign roles to participants and have them act out the scenario.
  • Observe and take notes, focusing on pain points, opportunities, and behaviours.
  • Discuss findings with the group and iterate the design based on the feedback gathered.

Related Methods

An icon representing problem statements

Problem Statements

An icon representing dot voting

Dot Voting

An icon representing co-creation workshops

Co-Creation Workshops

Add your title here

Lorem ipsum dolor sit met conjectural