Don’t/Do This — Game, Revised Edition : Thought Experiments for Creative People

In a world overflowing with possibilities, ideas, and endless to-do lists, the real creative breakthrough often begins with one simple act: choosing what not to do. Don't/Do This is the thought-experiment game that turns limitations into rocket fuel. Bold, surprising, and unapologetically disruptive, it challenges players to stretch their imagination by narrowing their options - and proves that boundaries aren't barriers, but springboards. This game is designed for anyone who relies on creativity: professionals, students, teams, facilitators, educators, event hosts, and anyone who wants to think in new ways. As an ice-breaker at conferences or workshops, it instantly lowers the room's guard and sparks laughter, curiosity, and collaboration. In classrooms, it pushes students to test how constraints shape creative decisions. And in teams or organizations, it energizes groups to rethink problems and generate unorthodox solutions fast. The gameplay is simple but transformative:Draw 3 Do cards for direction. Draw 3 Don't cards for limitations. Now invent a project that follows all six rules. What begins as restriction becomes possibility - and leads to ideas no one could have predicted. Created by typographic designer and creative entrepreneur Donald Roos, with co-writer Anne de Bruijn, the game subtly draws on Roos's acclaimed ToDon'tList philosophy: that focus is identity, and that choosing less often unlocks more. Their previous titles - Don't Read This Book, Don't Buy This Book, and If You Don't - became essentials for creatives who want clarity without losing playfulness. Don't/Do This stands out in its field because it doesn't teach creativity - it triggers it. No rules to study, no theory to memorize. Just pure, immediate, collaborative idea-making powered by limitation. If you need a game that loosens up a room, relights a team, jump-starts a stalled project, or simply reminds people why creativity matters, Don't/Do This is the spark you've been missing.