Today’s class encouraged us to look ahead into the future and speculate what technology could be or would be like. To speculate means to make a guess or form a theory about something without having all the facts or complete evidence.
I see speculative design as a form of storytelling that helps us think about the future by creating objects or ideas that don’t exist yet. We know we cannot attain it due to certain technological limitations, but yet we speculate to make people question “what if this was a real thing?”. Speculating helps designers explore new possibilities through interesting discussions. One from or speculating was a short project we did at the begging of our first semester in one of our modules; we were all tasked to conduct some competitor analysis and build a smart watch app that incorporated cutting edge technology, this meant we all had to look into the present and the future in order to create something that has yet to exist. The project was very short and fun, and I also enjoyed seeing all my peers’ speculative designs.
The article on Medium, “8 Spectacular Speculative Designs”, showcases creative and interesting projects that that really make you ponder and imagine possible future innovations. These designs explore ideas like lab-grown fruit, future cityscapes, and AI-driven experiences. Each project challenges how we think about technology, the environment, and society, using design as a way to raise questions rather than provide solutions.
The Neo Fruits idea sounds fantastic in my opinion and I believe it is very achieveable. I think the Compression Carpet is by far the weirdest concept idea ever, I understand that some people crave physical affection but upon watching their short video it evoked creepy vibes; I don’t think the touch of a human can be replaced by a machine. I really liked the Alias concept idea, it sounds brilliant, the UI parasite gives smart home hubs/ devices a personality and I think most people would like something like that in their home.
8 Spectacular Speculative Designs That Will Blow Your Mind
Speculative design is a creative approach that imagines how life could be in the future. Unlike science fiction, it sticks to current trends and technologies, making the imagined futures feel more relevant
In a fast developing world speculative design allows us to explore complex social and technological issues that seem unfixable or unattainable by creating scenarios that challenge our assumptions.
We speculate through props, prototypes, storytelling, and immersive experiences; for example the Compression Carpet displayed on the MOCK article is an immersive experience that allows people to experience and wonder “what if this was a thing in the real world?”. These methods help people engage with these ideas and reflect on possible futures, this then encourages deep thinking and discussion.
Trend Atelier | Speculative Design: why it’s key for long term future foresight
I found the lecture really interesting and my research very fun because it got me to speculate some of the ideas I came across. The exercise we conducted in class also gave me a broad view on the pros and cons of technology and how it’s impacting us as a society. Social media especially is influencing a lot of people’s self confidence, creativity, and it’s also affecting their time management. Despite all the negative impacts the internet is having on a lot of people it is also making our lives very easy and I think the negative impacts it’s having should not be blamed on the internet because it is our own responsibility to either be affected by what we’re consuming or how we use it.