Laureline Chiapello
Research-Creation
My research-creation practice involves the development of experimental games as a method of scholarly investigation.
These projects serve as both creative outputs and epistemic tools, allowing for the exploration of themes such as feminism, agency, failure, and cultural citizenship through interactive media.
Grounded in a pragmatist approach, this work positions game design as a form of inquiry that generates knowledge through making, and contributes to broader conversations in critical game studies and digital arts.
Papers
Laureline, C. (2025). “Things happen”: Rethinking our relationship with game authoring tools through Non-Teleological Action ISEA 2025: 30th International Symposium on Electronic Art, Seoul, Korea: 606-613.
Meury, S*; Chiapello, L. (2024). Identification et utilisation des métaphores dans le cadre du concept art d’environnements : la création d’un village aquatique. Kinéphanos. Numéro spécial - Développement et réception des environnements vidéoludiques : 1-29.
Chiapello, L., Chouinard, C*. (2024). The Impact of a Quadrupedal Avatar on Virtual Reality Locomotion. Well Played12(2): 1-34. 10.57862/xcpc-7v02.
Chiapello, L. (2023). The Game Plants Make People Happy: Exploring Agency through Research-Creation. Journal of Digital Media & Interaction 6(14): 33-51. https://doi.org/10.34624/jdmi.v6i14.32068
Chiapello, L., & Glesser, F. (2023). Drop/let's/fail to connect. Dans L. Clark & R. Kelomees (Éds.), [Re|Dis]Connection. Interactive Storytelling Art (pp:157-174). ETC Press. 10.1184/R1/21565380.v1
Caeyers, F*, Chiapello, L. (2022). Environmental storytelling in dark rides: A research-creation on designing immersive attractions. International Theme & Amusement Park Journal (ITAPJ). 3(4): 34-49.
Chiapello, L. (2021). Game Designers and the Ludo Mix: Constructing an Aesthetic Experience. Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association (ToDIGRA), 5(2), 33-70.
Papers
Chiapello, L., Paillon, C. (2025). Scenic : la téléprésence au service de la culture entre régions. Dans Bérubé, J. & Paquette, J. (Eds.), La culture en région : réussites et défis à relever (pp. 1-10). Éditions JFD.
Chiapello, L. (2021). La créativité dans l’industrie du jeu vidéo au Québec : un colosse aux pieds d’argile ? Loading... The Journal of the Canadian Game Studies Association, 14(23), 77-99.
https://journals.sfu.ca/loading/index.php/loading/article/view/391
Chiapello, L. (2016). Casual gaming: The changing role of the designer. In M. Willson & T. Leaver (Eds.), Social, Casual, Mobile: Changing Games (pp. 47-60). Bloomsbury Press. 10.5040/9781501310591.ch-004
Chiapello, L. (2016). From " spectator knowledge " to " pragmatic knowledge " : how a philosophical understanding of knowledge can help create better video game tutorials. The Philosophy of Computer Games Conference : Knowledge, Valletta, Malta.
Chiapello, L. (2015). Creativity in the video game industry: using Schön’s constants to understand frame creation European Academy of Design 11: The Value of Design Research, Paris, France. 10.7190/ead/2015/25.
Chiapello, L. (2015). Le designer de jeux vidéo comme agent d’évolution à l’ère du jeu casual. Sciences du jeu(4), online : https://sdj.revues.org/474.
Chiapello, L. (2013, 25-29/08). Formalizing casual games: A study based on game designers’ professional knowledge 2013 Digital Games Research Association Conference: DeFragging Game Studies, Atlanta, GA.
Video game industry
Through qualitative fieldwork conducted in game studios and with practitioners, I examine the lived realities of game development and digital creativity sector in general.
Using interviews, ethnographic observation, or collaborative inquiry, I analyze how designers navigate tensions between creative autonomy, industrial constraints, and cultural expectations.
This research aims to articulate the tacit knowledge and decision-making processes that shape game production, while fostering dialogue between academic and professional communities.
Design theories
My theoretical research investigates the epistemological foundations of game design, drawing from pragmatist philosophy and design studies. I explore how concepts such as reflective practice (Schön), inquiry (Dewey), and creativity (Joas) inform the ways designers engage with complex design situations. This work contributes to the development of a design epistemology that account for situated knowledge, professional expertise, and the evolving role of the designer in digital media contexts
Papers
Chiapello, L. (2024). Experience, rationality, situation and fallibilism: establishing a feminist pragmatist epistemology. Games and Culture 19(7): 897-915. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412023118626
Chiapello, L., & Bousbaci, R. (2022). It’s complicated: Dewey, Schön and reflection-in-action. Design Research Society Conference 2022, Bilbao. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.349
Chiapello, L. (2022). Creativity paradigms and game design research: a transdisciplinary approach. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 56(1), 125-137.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jocb.520
Chiapello, L. (2021). Créativité et réflexivité dans Animal Crossing New Horizons. Quand la situation « en jeu» constitue un remède à la situation « en vrai ». Kinephanos, numéro spécial(Le jeu en temps de pandémie : remède ou échappatoire), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.7202/1113432ar
Chiapello, L. (2020). A pragmatic inquiry on creativity. In V. Dörfler & M. Stierand (Eds.), Handbook of Research Methods on Creativity (pp. 152-164). Edward Elgar. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781786439659.00018
Beck, J., & Chiapello, L. (2018, 27-30 June ). Scholarly critique as a catalyst for community building. 2018 Design Research Society Conference, Limerick, Ireland. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2018.482
Beck, J., & Chiapello, L. (2018). Schön's intellectual legacy: A citation analysis of DRS publications (2010–2016). Design Studies, 56, 205-224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2017.10.005
Chiapello, L. (2017, 12-14 April). A case of values conflict in the video game design field. A critique of Schön's appreciative system. 12th EAD Conference: Design for Next, Rome, Italy. https://doi.org/10.1080/14606925.2017.1352915
Chiapello, L. (2017). Epistemological Underpinnings in Game Design Research. In P. Lankoski & J. Holopainen (Eds.), Game Design Research: An Introduction to Theory & Practice (pp. 15-33). Carnegie Mellon University ETC Press.
Beck, J., & Chiapello, L. (2016, 27-30 June 2016). Schön’s Legacy: Examining Contemporary Citation Practices in Design Research Society Publications. 2016 Design Research Society Conference, Brighton, England. 10.21606/drs.2016.105
Chiapello, L. (2015). L’apport des théories du design aux game studies : nouvelles perspectives en design de jeux vidéo. RACAR Revue d'art Canadienne / Canadian Art Review(Numéro spécial : Les études du design au Canada et au-delà : un état des lieux), 100-113. https://doi.org/10.7202/1035399ar
