Hyper Island Vision Week at Hyper Island is a dedicated period where students are encouraged to stretch their imagination as if it were a muscle, pushing beyond the boundaries of the everyday to envision new possibilities for themselves and society. This experience is designed not only to inspire but to challenge students to actively shape their futures through creative exploration and critical thinking. Jörg Teichgraeber invited me to contribute to Vision Week 2024 by facilitating a Design Fiction workshop for students. A 'podcast from the future' was the brief. A Design Fiction conceit in which students imagine into a future world and represent the contours of that world through a humble podcast that has come back from the future.
Contributed By: Julian Bleecker
Post Ref Date: Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at 17:24:32 PDT
Published On: Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at 17:24:32 PDT
Updated On: Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at 17:24:32 PDT
Last week we ran a collab with our friends over at/on Hyper Island in Stockholm for their 2024 Vision Week. It was remarkable and quite a bit of fun. Jörg Teichgraeber and I developed a simple and what I felt would be evocative design brief for the students: create a podcast episode..from the future.
What did we get from the participants?
91 Podcasts in 24 Hours!
The response from the students to the brief was exuberant and enaged. They immediately ‘got it’ and were eager to get going without further interference. I say that they ‘got it’ because: there were no substantial questions or expressions of confusion as to what to do; the submissions blew me away.
They only had a very (about 24 hours) time for the sprint. Nevertheless, they well-exceeded my expectations.
I found the students willingness to dive in zealously to the brief to be a marked contrast from the challenges that I find doing this sort of workshop acctivity in contexts where there seems to be too much structure surrounding the ability to be creative. Typical corporate contexts at this particular moment (2024) reject this kind of expansive imagining wondering how this activity will result in a plan, ahead of letting the activity just happen.”
For example, a student might choose to explore a future where purchasing “machine intelligences” at a convenience store is as normal as buying AAA batteries, prompting a podcast discussion about the societal implications of such technology. One of the more engaging and fun parts of the brief I thought was to encourage students to integrate fictional advertisements into the podcast, reflecting what advertisements are: representations of our hopes, fears, dreams, anxieties and desires. These kinds of things are what deepens the speculative, design fictional exploration.
For my part, my intention was to provide some overview of Design Fiction and then present the brief — and sit on Slack for questions while mostly waiting to see what comes back.
Here’s the video I put together
One stand-out reflection: it was remarkable how effortlessly the students were able to luxuriate in the fantastical element of this and not question the why? even if that was on their mind. I could really sense the effort and commitment to the endeavor in a way that I was not expecting. And I think that low expectation comes from the last 24 or 36 months of work in this imagine harder futures realm in which it seems nearly impossible to find organizations that see the value of not just doing the work necessary to keep their businesses up and profitable, but of exercising the innovation mindsets necessary for them to stay relevant and not become the next Sears or Peloton or whatever.
A Few Of The 91 Podcasts
p.s. These are summaries of the students’ actual audio podcasts, which had with sound effects, commercial breaks — everything! Maybe someday I’ll host a few of these.
MCE25 Team 3 - Keeping It Real Podcast
In ‘Keeping It Real’ Anders and Sofia discuss the new Civic Index (CI) regulations and soaring unemployment rates. We come to discern that the CI is some kind of measure of participation in meaningful social actions and activities. Depending on one’s “CI” one is able to obtain certain benefits and services, such as free public transit. But, as we find out in one of the interviews — if your CI gets too low, it can be difficult to ‘climb back up’! Special guests Erik, a line worker, and Tomas, a former teacher, share how these changes and AI advancements are impacting their lives and scores. The podcast concludes with the ‘Weekly Whistleblower’ — a feature that ‘this week’ is a story about a worker trapped by smart home tech. They also put in some fun audio advertisements: a ‘new’ album by Tupac; and a slightly snake-oil enticement for a service to help you keep up your “CI”.
MCE25 Team 8 - Clear Aim Podcast
Clear Aim is a weekly podcast, hosted by two best friends, Clara and Amy who discuss emerging topics in life. Each week, they challenge each other with new questions, dive into the latest trends, uncover hidden gems and give their candid thoughts on everything from their personal growth to the ever- changing world around them. Settle in and listen to the latest episode of the Clear Aim Podcast.
In the submitted ‘episode’, Amy and Clara discuss ‘dream recording technology.’ They discuss the potential benefits and risks of this new advancement, including its therapeutic applications for memory issues and mental health, as well as concerns about privacy, ownership of dreams, and socio-economic disparities. They are joined by ‘Dr. Thompson’, who provides a scientific perspective on how this technology could revolutionize our understanding of the human mind. Advertisements appear as Design Fiction ‘sponsors’ for the episode include Dreamlink and Sleepguard, both offering tech solutions to enhance and protect dream recording. Fun!
MD26 Team 3 - Cineovation Podcast
Implying a possible ‘future of film/Hollywood’ this episode of the Cinevation Podcast with host Dr. Kaufberg and co-host Miss Hype dives into the differences between watching films at home versus at the cinema. Kaufberg and Hype wonder around their nostalgia, reminiscing about the charm of ‘classic’ cinema experiences and address the current challenges faced by moviegoers, such as the high costs and accessibility issues of traditional theaters. The focal point, however, is on the ‘Moving Movies’ phenomenon — a clue indicating that in their future imaginary, movie screenings are hosted in trucks traveling to various locations. Love this. The two also explore how this has the potential to revitalize the communal cinema experience, making it easier and more special for families. Special guest Ms. Haydn shares her personal experience with ‘Moving Movies,’ highlighting the exclusive films and unique merchandise offered. The episode concludes with a look at the new cinema experience ‘Alien number 55,’ set to premiere soon. Advertisements are featured for Caramel Banana Brewery (🍬 🍺) and Tire Tires…the tire that makes flat tires inflatable..natch..
FED 26 Team 7 - Three Peas in a Travel Pod
A podcast that hints at the Future of Travel, ‘Three Piece in a Travel Pod’ shares the curious travel experiences of the hosts Amanda, Tahir, and Hannah, focusing on the journey rather than the destination. Amanda talks about her train trip to Barcelona, and the useful bathroom vacancy app she used and a meat-flavored energy drink 🤮. Hannah shares her soothing ride on a themed bullet train through Milan, complete with a forest canopy ceiling. Tahir describes his luxurious flight experience aboard an AI-piloted 👩🏽✈️🤖 airplane 🛩️ while traveling for a neurosurgical operation. The hosts discuss the various curious characteristics of metamodern travel and how they feel about all of the AI-controlled services — like autonomous airliners that fly ‘themselves’ — and other things that they wound up encountering on their journeys.
FED 26 Team 10 - Synced Souls
Future of Dating/Love/Relationship/Romance, natch..’Synced Souls’, hosted by Emma Leif with robot co-host Alex from Tinder, the focus is on Alex’s complex love life. Following a difficult separation from Michael, Alex shares the challenges of dating someone who lacked boundaries and initiative. And then to add to the complexity, Alex starts a relationship with Sarah, highlighting her ambition, quirks, and the weird dynamics they each bring to the partnership. Emma offers some insights, trying to help the robot comprehend the chaotic dimensionality of human emotions, including fear and habits. Emma tries to help Alex understand these nuances. Might be too much for this evoluton of Alex’s firmware! The episode wraps up with Alex considering updates to his programming to foster deeper human connections, and a discussion on the immersive experience offered by ‘Vroom’ VR glasses.
DA 26 Team 9 - This Pod Needs A Goal
‘Future of Sports’ is what ‘This Pod Needs A Goal’ hosts Joe and his friends Aaron and Matty get into. They talk about ‘neo football’ and ‘classic football’ (um…oh yeah..soccer), review intense matches, including a quirky Chelsea vs. Barcelona showdown and a dramatic Manchester United vs. PSG esports outcome where it seems that games..err..matches are played simultaneously as ‘eSports’ and IRL games with, like..humans on the pitch. The hosts also touch on a scandal involving an eSports player and the controversial use of Red Bull for performance enhancement. The episode includes a juicy gossip segment about a famous ex-player with several AI girlfriends and concludes with a nostalgic segment about the old school football results. The podcast features ads for Brain Bomb energy drink and Brobot Buddy AI companion. Also, we hear an announcement for a competition winner who gets an immersive VR football experience and, well — it seems we still have Patreon in this future as the hosts thank their Patreon supporters. Nice!
BD25 Team 3 — Healing the Future Self
‘Future of Exosomatic Health’ is the subject of the ‘Healing the Future Self Podcast,’ hosted by Elie. The pod gets into the evolution of the human energy field, also known as the aura, and its significance in alternative medicine and spiritual practices in this future. Elie covers how practices like Reiki and acupuncture have always had the aim of balancing these fields for overall wellbeing. We’re introduced to “AuraScan”, an instrumentality that provides personalized insights into one’s energy field. A 30-year-old veterinarian from Sweden is Elie’s guest, sharing her personal story of healing from a heartbreak with the help of AuraScan. The guest elaborates on how the scan identified imbalances in her emotional and mental energy, and how it offered a unique approach compared to traditional medical methods. The episode also features a clever, fun advertisement for the ‘Serenity Shield’, a wearable aimed at creating a protective energy barrier against stress and anxiety. Who wouldn’t want one of those, eh? The episode wraps up with a teaser for the next episode, which will discuss the EternaPill, touching upon innovations imagined in anti-aging technology.
Capturing a collab and Design Fiction Design Sprint that was substantial and fun at the same time. See more about the brief and more details on the Hyper Island Vision Week 2024 Project Page