Design Fiction

Design Fiction facilitates a unique approach to envisioning future scenarios by crafting tangible representations of concepts that may not yet exist. Within industries such as technology, automotive, healthcare, and urban planning, these speculative artifacts—ranging from prototypes and service blueprints to videos and narratives—serve as tools to engage diverse stakeholders in meaningful discussions about the societal impacts of innovations. This methodology is effective during the early stages of project development, where brainstorming sessions benefit from stimulating imagination beyond the constraints of current technologies. Participants often include designers, engineers, futurists, sociologists, and end-users, each bringing their own perspectives to the table, enriching the narrative and encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. For example, in the context of healthcare, design fiction can help illuminate the implications of artificial intelligence on patient care by visualizing scenarios in which AI-driven tools either improve or complicate interactions between patients and providers. Such initiatives enable organizations to critically assess not only the potential benefits but also the ethical dilemmas that may arise from their innovations. This proactive consideration promotes responsible design practices that prioritize human values and societal needs, transforming abstract ideas into relatable contexts that spark dialogue about possible futures.