Play Seriously: The teaching that defines MIT’s iconic 2.009
An interview with Professor David Wallace, the visionary behind one of MIT’s most celebrated classes.
Vivian Hir–The Tech
What does it mean to “play seriously?” For Professor David Wallace, it’s about finding joy and meaning in challenges while approaching them with care and a sense of play. In his new video series, Play Seriously, Wallace shares his teaching philosophies from leading one of MIT’s most celebrated classes, 2.009, or Product Engineering Processes.
The course itself
Compared to a modern product development firm, 2.009 is as real of an engineering experience as it gets. Students work in large teams of 15 to 20 people to design, build, and present alpha versions of novel products inspired by a broad annual theme. This year, students developed a range of innovative prototypes surrounding the theme “Balance,” from a firefighter respirator for protection against airborne particles, to a knee rehabilitation wearable, to an underwater communication device for beginner scuba divers.
The course culminates in a live presentation attended by over a thousand practicing product designers, entrepreneurs, academics, and classmates—not to mention a live webcast audience in the tens-of-thousands.
Behind the spectacular show and impressive builds lies a teaching philosophy honed over 30 years by Wallace.
Play Seriously: the philosophy of 2.009
Though rooted in the experience of 2.009, this philosophy now reaches a broader audience through Play Seriously, a 7-part video collection where Wallace unpacks the ideas that have shaped his teaching and inspired countless students. Each episode—narrated by Wallace—focuses on a different principle that has defined his approach to teaching and is accompanied by behind-the-scenes stories.
In Episode 1, “Everything is an Example,” Wallace emphasizes the power of details in teaching. He connects this principle to the elements the staff integrates into the 2.009 build challenge. From a massive tree rigged with pyrotechnics to custom chocolate coins, every detail immerses students in an memorable experience, driving home the message that “if you put enough attention to detail and care into your designs, you are going to make something that people can’t ignore. Something truly memorable.”
The video series was first envisioned in 2019, when MIT department heads Professors Evelyn Wong and Rohit Karnick encouraged Wallace to share the philosophy behind 2.009. “People would see the results of the class, but they didn’t always understand what it was really about,” Wallace explains. After pandemic-related delays, Wallace and his team filmed Play Seriously during the fall 2023 class and developed it over the following year.
While Play Seriously was born only five years ago, the philosophy behind it has been decades in the making. Around 2005, Wallace experienced an “aha moment” when he realized there was a disconnect between himself and his students.
“People were afraid to talk to me, like there was this barrier,” he recalls. “And I thought, if you want to help people learn, the first thing is trust.” Creating an environment where his students felt comfortable to admit they were facing roadblocks was key. “That’s when I realized I needed to do something differently.”
Around the same time, Wallace noticed another issue: topics he found fascinating didn’t seem to spark the same interest in his students. The realization pushed him to rethink how to truly engage students. “It all came together for me—this idea that creating a positive, playful environment could make a huge difference,” he explains. “In some sense, it’s about me having fun too, but it’s really been about connecting in a way that motivates students.”
And that connection paid off. Through his efforts to connect with his students in this playful way, Wallace’s students discovered a newfound confidence in their work. He sees many students come into the class with doubt, worry, and anxiety “because you don’t know if you can do it, or what it is you’re even going to do.” In a better environment, this confidence brings a new level of care and passion in one’s work. Wallace noted his students “treating everything a little bit with respect and finding” as they would when compared to the beginning of the class. “The reward is watching what the students do.”
One night, when Wallace was heading out of campus, Wallace overheard a group of students he was walking behind. “I remember one student saying, ‘I can't believe it. I’ve totally forgot this is even being graded,’” he recalled. “They’re in there, they’re working, and they’re working because they want to do something.” Wallace’s students were starting to “own their own trajectory” of their lives. It’s this intrinsic motivation that Wallace hopes his students will find both in and out of his classroom.
Teaching for tomorrow
Professor Wallace’s lessons aren’t only for the next generation of product developers—they're for the next generation of hungry engineers, scientists, innovators, and leaders. In Play Seriously, Professor Wallace continues to be inspired by his late mentor Professor Woodie Flowers, who gave him the advice to “play the movie in your head,” or to imagine the process before starting it. Now, decades into his own teaching career, Wallace sends his own message to the next generation of leaders:
“Treat things like they matter, and then you’ll know how to do things so that they matter.”