Design Fiction is an approach and methodology that helps reveal and playfully represent possibilities in the form of pragmatic material artifacts. It does this so as to exercise the imagination, which is the existential capability we have to see/create/conjure the unexpected, unanticipated newness that we call 'inspiration' and 'innovation.' Design Fiction operates in the dynamic space between barely possible and pragmatic reality, playfully messing with the tension between the not true *yet and what could be(come). This approach ignites and inspires the kind of thinking that leads to farm-fresh ideas, while fostering the kind of engaged and thoughtful discussion that just makes one want to build something — to take action. The artifacts created through Design Fiction aren't just imagined scenarios; they function as probes and materialized experiments in the form of things like advertisements, product specifications, instructions for things yet to be manufactured. They guide us through the complexities of the grounded world and reveal how our ideals and realities...

What can we learn about the ways that science-fiction and science fact circulate within the worlds of entertainment? Are there ways that the value creation mechanisms of entertainment can be deliberately intergrated into the value creation mechanisms of capitalism whereby 'innovation' actively engages the storytelling approaches, methodologies and techniques of the entertainment industry, purposely and above the line?

Imagination is a crucial tool in shaping our future, especially in the context of climate change and sustainability. While dystopian narratives dominate the media, there's a growing need for positive, actionable visions of the future—something that Design Fiction uniquely offers. Unlike science fiction, which often explores far-off possibilities, Design Fiction brings those possibilities into the present through tangible artifacts. These artifacts allow us to experience and critique potential futures, making them a powerful tool for innovation. By materializing utopian visions, Design Fiction can shift the narrative from despair to hope, inspiring collective action towards sustainability. In a world inundated with regulations and frameworks, Imagination provides the vision we need to create a future worth striving for. Learn how Design Fiction bridges the gap between Imagination and reality, offering practical tools to design better futures.

What's Tom Sachs' worldbuilding got to do with Design Fiction? What can be learned as regards the intersection of speculation, art, design to create playful non-confrontational spaces for entering into alternative, other, adjacent possible worlds?

The Cybertruck and the camper together are like a visual narrative in which the present is constantly overshadowed by the futures we were promised but that can never arrive. ‘Utopia’ and ‘Dystopia’ are tropes, not action plans.