Ideas we have imagined using speculative design

Speculative Design goes beyond solving today’s problems. It offers a way of exploring what might happen in the future using fictional products, and services. These speculative pieces challenge current assumptions and open up conversations about the potential impacts of emerging technologies, social changes, and environmental shifts.

In our research, members of the team have drawn on speculative design to think creatively about the future of reproductive technology. They were asked to imagine what future innovations might look like and to create design objects that represented these ideas. These objects then sparked valuable conversations about the ethical, legal, and social questions these imagined futures could raise.

This approach has encouraged us to consider familiar issues from different perspectives and to reflect on broader social conditions. Most importantly, it has helped us to connect long-term thinking with actions that we might take today.

Please note: The selection of design fiction examples shown below are entirely imaginary and were created to support and develop the teams strategic and creative thinking for research purposes. They are not real products or services, nor do they reflect the personal views of our researchers. Instead, they form part of our speculative design exercises, helping the team to think more broadly, creatively, and differently than they normally would