Play to learn or learn to play

At the recent CPX meetup, Dr Froth (Andrew Suttar) shared with us his Bubbleosophy approach to systems thinking.

He uses the bubble as a metaphor for the boundary of system, a boundary that is fragile and permeable. I was struck by the sense that if one doesn’t try to control it, to make it ‘not pop’ then one can accept it for what it is, and enjoy it as an ephemera, a thing of wonder and awe but with no lasting significance. How can we use this learning in systems thinking…designing systems for specific tasks and that don’t become a burden beyond the period of their usefulness.

The presentation caused me to wonder about the bubble as a metaphor for potential space (in Winnicott terms). What can it teach us about creating a space for innovative work? As children we play to learn, but as adults we may need to learn to play.