THE MESSY FUTURES OF INFORMATION

A Design Futuring Workshop with Christian Ervin, X - the moonshot factory

by IxDA San Francisco & Speculative Futures San Francisco.

9:30AM, November 2nd

In a time of rapidly accelerating change, how do we grapple with future uncertainties to responsibly shape products featuring breakthrough technologies? Traditional incremental design methods are ill suited to grapple with the entangled and conflicting forces shaping the near future. But where these methods fall short, methods borrowed from futures studies can empower designers and product leaders to address these dynamics in their work.

In this full day workshop, we will explore potential trajectories for the messy futures of information. In developing speculative scenarios for future information systems, we will address both the ways users engage with these systems and with each other through these systems.

The workshop will introduce structured, applied techniques to the development of possible futures while also directly confronting ambiguities within that framework: embracing tensions, privileging implications over applications, allowing for conflicting, idiosyncratic trajectories and personal perspectives, and generally avoiding clean and tidy narratives about technology and society. Participants will learn effective methods for navigating ambiguous terrain, exploring preferable futures and implementing strategies that enable them.

This is a participatory event that will synthesize the diverse perspectives of attendees with contemporary social, cultural, technological, economic, environmental, and political trends to shape collective images of the future. You will be expected to share your concerns and aspirations for the future and bring your background and skill set to bear on our collective discussions.

The event is open to all and accommodations will be made for those with financial need, including students. No prior knowledge is assumed but any previous experience with speculative design is encouraged.

Together we will:

- Discuss the value of speculative design as an applied practice.

- Learn frameworks for meaningfully expanding our time horizons

- Use inductive and deductive methods to map out possible futures.

- Confront the implications of diverse futures in the form of artifacts and scenarios.

You will leave with an understanding of futures methods and how to apply them in professional settings, along with informed opinions about the future of interaction design.

Detailed agenda + advanced readings will be provided to workshop attendees.

Food and (non-alcoholic) beverages will be served.

BIOGRAPHY

Christian Ervin is a Creative Lead on the Design team at X, the moonshot factory (formerly known as “Google X”), where he supports highly ambitious, early stage, technology innovation teams in shaping their products.

Sponsored by McKinsey Design, San Francisco.

This event is a partnership event of IxDA San Francisco and Speculative Futures San Francisco.