UX/UI & Board Games, Ep. 6: When the Players Take the Wheel (and Set It on Fire)

You think the haunted house will unite the team.

Then someone hoards the med kits and sprints to the attic with a cursed doll.

Welcome to “Betrayal at House on the Hill” board game.

Or try “Nemesis.” The plan says cooperate, the outcome says someone just cycled a crewmate through the airlock for the greater good.

These moments are not bugs. They are the point. The system is flexible enough to support human weirdness.

So what does that teach us?

🎯 People bring their own goals. Expect misalignment and design for it.

🧭 Make intent and boundaries visible. Show what is allowed, risky, or off limits.

🔧 Build guardrails, not handcuffs. Nudge behavior without blocking creative paths.

🧪 Watch how the system gets bent. Instrument key actions and learn from the detours.

↩️ Make recovery easy. Soft failure, clear exits, reversible moves.

No design survives first contact with reality, but great design makes space for the unexpected, then holds together. Read this on LinkedIn