Design Fiction Prototypes
Design Futures/Fiction
Physical or digital prototypes created as part of a design fiction project. These prototypes embody speculative future technologies or products and serve as tangible artifacts to facilitate engagement and storytelling.
In practice
In speculative design, design fiction prototypes are tangible or visual representations of fictional design concepts and scenarios created to explore and communicate speculative futures. Designers use these prototypes to bring imagined narratives to life, allowing stakeholders to engage with and respond to speculative design ideas. Design fiction prototypes serve as tools for storytelling and envisioning possible futures, facilitating discussions about the implications of design decisions on individuals and societies.
Questions
What is Design Fiction Prototypes?
Design fiction prototypes are working or convincing artefacts from an imagined future, made so people can handle them rather than just read about them.
Why do you use Design Fiction Prototypes?
A prototype you can hold provokes a specific, personal reaction in a way that a scenario document never does.
How do you use/apply Design Fiction Prototypes?
Make it detailed enough to be believed and mundane enough to be plausible. The packaging and the manual often matter more than the object.
When do you use Design Fiction Prototypes?
In workshops, exhibitions and stakeholder sessions where the aim is to surface values and objections.
Who uses Design Fiction Prototypes?
Speculative and critical designers, with model makers and prop makers.
