I helped develop and run the Engagement Lab, an applied research lab at Emerson College that designs and studies civic technology, engagement, and play. The Lab’s work has ranged from the design and development of engagement games, to the organization of civic technology researchers and practitioners from around the world, to the dissemination and teaching of playful user experience design in both digital and analog contexts. During my time as managing director, the Lab grew from a partnership of two working out of a faculty offce and cubicle, to a staff of over 20 designers, developers, project managers, faculty, and students, working collaboratively in a dedicated lab space that served as both a center for academic research and an independent, self-funding design studio.