Forcing the Design of Fictional Futures: From Theory to Cases Implementation

Abstract

In the face of fast growing concerns for sustainability in all wakes of human endeavor around the planet, this paper aims to support a generative process for exploring futures conceptions and seeks to contribute to professional futurists’ design abilities. It is a contribution to connect practical social and business innovation with actionable futures thinking. The approach is founded on design innovation methodology backed by C-K theory, a constructive prototyping strategy, which can account for any moment when a ＂futures potential＂ happens. To illustrate the process, a series of matching field experiments are portrayed, whereby kick-off propositions led to blueprint concepts and, through their systematic expansion, were carried into project briefs that could be implemented with planners, policy makers, and project managers. The illustrated content provides decision-makers an operational and sharable framework.