3MINUTESLAB

GET TO KNOW 3MINUTESLAB THROUGH DIVERSE DESIGNS WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING EDUCATION ‘EASY-TO-DIGEST’ EXPERIENCES TO SPARK CURIOSITY

TEXT: 3MINUTESLAB
PHOTO CREDIT AS NOTED

(For Thai, press here)

WHO

We are a group of Industrial Designers who have spent years working within educational organizations. Our mission is to leverage our design background to create new experiences that transform learning from a chore into something fun, meaningful, and capable of sparking curiosity about the world around us.

The name ‘3minuteslab’ is inspired by those brief moments when people can truly enjoy learning something new, much like instant noodles that take only 3 minutes to prepare but are delicious and immediately satisfying. We aim to design ‘easy to digest’ learning tools that turn complex subjects into engaging and accessible experiences.

Craft Your Compassion Workshop | Photo courtesy of THE COMMONS

WHAT

3minuteslab is a design studio and experimental laboratory dedicated to cultivating curiosity. We adapt our learning media to fit the unique motivations of different learners, so our work is diverse and not bound by traditional methods. Our projects range from educational toys that teach kids about the ‘Future Food’, and ‘Quit Club,’ a card game to help burnt-out employees rediscover themselves, to AR storytelling that equips the younger generation with digital skills, and interactive exhibitions where designers share their professional skills through the art of paint dripping.

Quit Club Board Game | Photo: 3minuteslab team

WHEN

It all started back in 2017, after we graduated in Industrial Design. Back then, we were just a group of friends collaborating on fun side projects and design competitions during weekends, along with the occasional freelance gig. Over time, we accumulated experiences and insights until the lab gradually took shape, becoming the dedicated space where we continue to pursue our passions today.

WHERE

Our main base is in Bangkok, but we also collaborate with friends and partners across Europe. This cross-border collaboration allows us to exchange diverse perspectives and stay updated on global learning trends, which we then integrate into our multifaceted design process.

WHY

Through five years of experience in educational organizations, we’ve discovered that ‘curiosity’ is the very first door to learning. No matter how well a curriculum is designed, it means little if learners aren’t ready to engage. We want 3minuteslab to be the hand that helps open that first door, sparking curiosity so that knowledge becomes more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

Imagine Future Of Jobs (Gashapon) | Photo: Daphne Gerodimou

How do you define your own style of work?

In our work, we prioritize these three core elements:

Imagine Future Of Jobs (Workshop) | Photo: Daphne Gerodimou

1. Non-traditional Experimentation: We explore and experiment with new approaches to designing learning experiences. Traditional methods often struggle to capture attention in today’s world, so we constantly seek out fresh, unconventional ways to keep learners engaged.

2. Simplistic & Insightful: Making the complex simple. Our focus is on distilling complicated information into its most accessible form, without losing the depth of practical and meaningful insights.

3. Enjoyable & Playful: We integrate joy, aesthetics, and a sense of freedom into our designs. We believe that knowledge flows most effectively when people are genuinely enjoying themselves, rather than feeling forced to learn.

Unexpected Careers Exhibition | Photo courtesy of Creative Economy Agency (CEA)

What inspires you, and what principles guide your work?

Our inspiration and work principles stem from two main perspectives:

1. The Problem Perspective: Valuable topics that people don’t yet enjoy.
We are often drawn to knowledge that is meaningful and useful, but that people aren’t yet open to engaging with. This is what we call a ‘motivation gap.’ When something is useful but perceived as uninspiring or boring, it becomes a thrilling challenge for us to bridge that gap through design.

2. The Design Perspective: Understanding the diverse ways people find joy.
We believe that if people truly enjoy something, there is an inherent value in that experience that can be blended with knowledge to create a new kind of learning. This is why we love observing and exploring new experiences, whether it’s joining a long queue for an idol handshake event, booking a fine dining experience, visiting a haunted house, or taking a tour around an old town. We’re interested in understanding ‘why’ people are drawn to these moments, and how we can translate that magic into meaningful learning experiences.

Business Driver Toolkit | Image: 3minuteslab team

Which project are you most proud of and why?

Designer Skill Palette is a ‘Playful Research’ initiative we created for Bangkok Design Week. The challenge was: how do we collect survey data about the skills of Thai designers without it being boring or intrusive? We wanted the process to be fun, engaging, and to encourage collective sharing. We designed an exhibition that transformed data visualization into art. Participants were asked to “drip paint” onto data-collection sheets, where each color represented a specific professional skill. These results were then displayed on a wall, creating a large-scale visual collaborative piece that showcases the design community’s skills.

Designer Skill Palette | Photo: 3minuteslab

We chose this project because it perfectly reflects our ‘non-traditional experimentation’ identity.  The feedback was incredible; we saw people engaging with the booth all day long. It was fun for both the creators and the participants. We loved seeing people interact with our booth, and it felt as though the participants themselves had become an integral part of the artwork.

Designer Skill Palette | Photo: 3minuteslab team

Which part of the process do you enjoy the most during work?

The brainstorming and conceptualizing phase is our favorite. It’s the stage where everything feels possible. We enjoy the process of experimenting with new ways to build learner motivation and make the experience genuinely fun. It’s also a satisfying challenge to organize complex content and see it harmonize perfectly with fresh, creative learning methods.

Waste Town Board Game | Photo courtesy of Newsnewnews

If you could invite any ‘creative’ for a coffee, who would it be and why?

If it were possible, I would invite ‘Socrates.’ In my view, he is the ultimate ‘VIP creative’ of Active Learning. Someone who changed the world simply by asking questions. I’d love to start our conversation with something simple like, ‘Is this coffee good?’ and eventually dive into his techniques for crafting questions that empower learners to unearth answers for themselves. However, our biggest concern would be time management; we might end up spending three hours debating just one fundamental question: ‘What, exactly, is coffee?’

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