Airport baggage carousels are interesting devices. A lot of infrastructure and space is dedicated to the luggage retrieval process. When many flights arrive simultaneously, each carousel operates at high capacity. Visit the baggage area between busy periods, and the design appears dated. If a courier delivers packages directly to my doorstep, why can an airline not reunite baggage and passengers in a more personalized manner?

When operations are at full capacity, questioning utilization and design is more demanding. Visit the same site during a slow period, and the respite provides more opportunities for reflection.

How might we embrace generative inquiry during our more relaxed moments and assess if we are trying to solve problems when full or empty?