Designing Futures: Speculation, Criticism, Innovation

The ability to imagine different possible futures and the will to influence the course of events are deeply human. These ideas about the future can also determine which of the many possible futures will become reality. Designing futures therefore means that by creating and communicating potential scenarios, you can shape the futures of your fellow human beings and influence the course of events.

Design is becoming more strategic as a discipline, moving away from ’making things beautiful’ to ’thinking creatively’. This book provides designers with the methods and tools they need to develop discussable and tangible scenarios. It also outlines ways for creative people, activists and decision-makers in politics, science and the wider society to imagine more desirable futures.

- With over 500 illustrations.
- Case studies from across the world.
- Foreword by Riel Miller, senior fellow at the École des Ponts Business School, the University of Stavanger and the University of New Brunswick.

Benedikt Groß is an antidisciplinary designer. Working at the intersection of people, technology and futures somewhere within the Bermuda of Design Futuring, Generative Design and Data. He is Professor of Interaction & Strategic Design at the HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd and is co-directing there the chapter of Gestaltung.ai, a research project funded by the BMBF that focuses on AI in design education.

Eileen Mandir combines her experiences in design, engineering and coaching to create discourse and change - for people, systems and organizations.

She is Professor for Systemic Design at the Faculty of Design at the University of Applied Sciences Munich.