ABSTRACT
This article investigates the causal mechanisms linking participatory processes to policy innovation in resource-constrained welfare systems. Utilizing Design-Based Action Research, the study examines “MeSitthi,” a policy board game deployed with 27 stakeholders in Northern Thailand. Addressing the theoretical gap between Policy Innovation as a Process (PIAP) and Output (PIAO), the research identifies the “ECIR” mechanisms—Empathy Anchoring, Cognitive Friction, Iterative Constraint Navigation, and Role-Shifting—as the drivers of innovation. Contrary to the assumption that gamification acts through simplification, findings support the “Hard Fun” paradox: high difficulty (7.35/10) stimulated deep engagement with high enjoyment (8.60/10). The simulation required participants to navigate scarcity and administrative ambiguity, resulting in four feasible and context-responsive policy prototypes. The study concludes that game-based constraints and ECIR mechanisms function as diagnostic instruments, rendering the cognitive dynamics of policy design observable and enabling citizens to rehearse democratic governance.