Designing the Future Using Science Fiction

science-fiction prototypes are imagined laboratories based on (scientific) fact, that challenge creators ánd readers to critically reflect on the impact of science and emerging technologies and on the social and emotional responses of the world - including themselves. It offers a great tool to envision possible and hopeful futures, and could be an

The difference between a story and a scenario is the narrative arc. Stories are built around a main character the reader will sympathise with. Fictional stories have a kind of creative freedom that scenario’s do not have. This freedom allows creators ánd readers to explore the impact of technologies and developments on the daily lives of people (an

Sci-fi prototyping allows us to creatively explore and iterate how technology and social developments can shape and be shaped by the people who use it and explore its implications on the everyday lives of people.

Paradoxically, the most reliable method to envision and plan for futures, isn’t just studying and extrapolating scientific facts, historical developments, psychology and demography, but by building stories beyond our wildest imagination.

It is a fallacy to plan for ‘the future’ (singular). We need to be prepared for multiple futures (plural) and build into our strategies a flexibility that allows us to move resilient from the present moment towards the future. Being aware of the different paths the future might take, leads to more realistic and flexible strategies that will be more

Stories are thought experiments that cut through contemporary interests and structures to imagine an alternative world. Stories help us understand the current system but also provide the tools to investigate how that world is changing and reveal solutions to work to a different futures.

Many of us have clear visions of what kind of world we don’t want to live in, but are struggling to imagine the kind of world we would live in - let alone how to build that world. We need new narratives to illuminate what’s broken in our society and hands-on solutions for a more sustainable, equal and resilient world.