My Journey with #play14

Ranidaa
Nov 22
4 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

It has been a week since #play14Bangkok ended, but the feeling still lingers.

A few years back, when I officially stepped into the role of Scrum Master, I was very new to facilitation. Sure, I had organized a few workshops and trainings before, but I never truly understood what it meant to be a facilitator — or why facilitation even mattered in the Agile world.

My first task as the Scrum Master was to organize retrospective.

There were so many templates out there but most of them felt typical and dull. So I started exploring. During my research, I came across one of the most inspiring people (at least for me) who shared creative and engaging retrospective formats. Set that a side— I’ll save that story for another blog.

And then... I discovered play14.org.

#play14

At the time, the website wasn’t as vibrant as it is today. But the word “play” caught my attention.

That’s exactly what I was looking for — a non-boring session.

Games that were fun and meaningful.

There are so many videos of games — Corridor of trust was the first that got me. Everybody looked like they were having so much fun! They even have materials and more games? Can I use them? This is AWESOME!

If you are the newborn facilitator or Scrum Master without a coach or support system, you’ll understand how hard it is to design a non-boring, purposeful workshop. Being a facilitator isn't just about running a session. It's about making the objective happen — and I didn’t just want to facilitate, I wanted to facilitate meaningfully.

As I browsed through the game library (you can actually filter out by intention and timing!). I began to really understand what #play14 is all about and yes, it was the time to experiment.

I did not use it for the retrospective but I did used it for team building to foster a deeper bonds.

The first game I nicked from #play14 was Ball Runner. Yes, I bought 100 plastic balls just for this and it was totally worth it. The laugher, excitement and connection it created were incredible.

And since I already had 100 balls, why not try Ball Point Game too.

I also ran the Des'po'rate' housewives because it was relatable to the people in the development world.

Another favourite is The Maze — I often use it in communication sessions.

Source: play14.org

How I landed to #play14Bangkok

In late 2024, I saw the post about #play14singapore but it was only a month after the event had ended.

Then I missed #play14kualalumpur 2025 too.

I told myself: “That’s it. I’m not missing any #play14 in SEA this year.”

And maybe the universe heard me.

Just a few days after wrapping another event, I saw the announcement:

#play14Bangkok is happening.

Without hesitation — signed up. Ka-ching. Done!

I was so thrilled, excited and absolutely looking forward to it.

I was having a conversation with my now-coach, Jing Liu and told her how wild it felt to have #play14 here in Thailand.

Finally I do not have to fly out for knowledge.

I said I would love to volunteer — and that’s where the story began.

Only 2 months before the event, with tons of commitments already lined up…

I received a call from P’Chom (Coach Chom).

After I hung up, I was screaming and jumping around my room as if I have just won the lottery. I didn’t even think about all the things I had already committed to. I knew I had to do this!

#play14Bangkok 2025 Hosting team

The People. The Team. The Gratitude.

Even though we had never worked together before, the kindness I received from the team was overwhelming.

Through #play14, I got to connect with Thailand’s training and HR community — a space I hadn’t been part of before. It was such a meaningful opportunity and a huge learning experience for me.

I’m deeply grateful to Jing for the recommendation — without you, this wouldn’t have happened.And of course, P’Chom, thank you for trusting me and letting me be part of the team. Getting to know you all has been unforgettable — and I believe our friendship will last.

To P’Poo — you’re not just beautiful, you’ve been incredibly supportive since day one.

P’Mai — your advice goes beyond #play14. Thank you.

Jo & Top — thank you for the fun energy and media magic.

Neat — the most organized soul with the most colorful stationery.

To the lovely Teach for Thailand team — Ann, Ari, and Popcorn — you added so much color to #play14. I’m so glad we met and laughed together.

To the new faces and familiar ones I met at the event — thank you for the laughter, the deep conversations, and the magic we created together over those 2.5 days. I’m truly looking forward to staying connected and playing again, somewhere, sometime soon.

And to our incredible mentors — Cédric, Avi, and Darwin —

Thank you for your guidance, presence, and generosity.

From co-facilitating sessions to quietly modeling what it means to hold space with care and curiosity, I’ve learned so much from watching and working alongside you.

It has been a true honour. I feel lucky to have crossed paths, and deeply grateful for your support.