“It’s like a journey through time, not to the relics of the past, but to the artifacts of our future.”
Design Fiction is a design-led approach to augmenting analytic research by grounding the implications of research into tangible, relatable artifacts. Like an archeologist who digs down into the ground to find remnants of past cultures, Design Fiction digs around in possible futures, imagining the kinds of material cultural artifacts one might see lying about if today’s trends followed some winding trajectory into tomorrow.
Imagine traveling into today’s future and finding an autonomous car enthusiasts magazine, or a catalog of useful general purpose products, or an annual report from a company. Rather than science-fiction stories about future technological trends, Design Fiction makes designed artifacts, like products, books, magazines, and other ephemera.
It is like storytelling only done by fashioning designed objects that can be held, where the creations serve as conversation starters about possible futures, helping designers, users, and stakeholders explore complex questions and possibilities before they become real.
Design Fiction serves as a creative platform for exploring the consequences of technology, encouraging a more inclusive, ethical and thoughtful approach to designing the future.
Join us virtually on May 22nd at 2:00PM EST as we chat with Julian Bleecker of Near Future Laboratory.
Julian Bleecker
Julian Bleecker, BSEE, MSEng, Ph.D. is a leading researcher, designer, and entrepreneur in the fields of technology and innovation. He founded Near Future Laboratory and OMATA, and is the originator of the concept of Design Fiction. Bleecker has published extensively on design, technology, and the future, and his book "The Manual of Design Fiction" is widely recognized as a pioneering work on the subject. His work has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades, and he is known for his innovative and forward-thinking approach to shaping the future through design.