Episode 095 of the podcast is up! A coffee table conversation with futures guy, author, creative leader, and all-around good guy Phil Balagtas. We discuss his new book “Making Futures Work” and the challenges and triumphs of writing an all-encompassing book on futures practice, exploring the evolution of speculative design and the importance of imagination as a critical element in futures work.

A photo of Nicolas Nova with Maywa Denki I took at SxSW 2012.

”Twenty years ago, here at South By Southwest, I was on a panel where the term “design fiction” was made public. Before Julian Bleecker invented and deployed that term, there were many things going on that resembled “design fiction.” But nobody knew “how to do design fiction.” The ideas and approaches were diffuse, they weren’t crystallised.” — Bruce Sterling

This discussion explores the concept of Design Fiction as a methodology for creating tangible and evocative prototypes of possible near futures to understand the consequences of decision-making. Julian Bleecker, who coined the term with Bruce Sterling, elaborates on his interdisciplinary approach combining engineering, design, and speculative storytelling. The conversation delves into the origins and practices of Design Fiction, its application in corporate settings, and its importance in nurturing imaginative thinking. Highlighting the value of imagination as a crucial skill, Bleecker emphasizes the need to encourage students and professionals alike to envision and create innovative futures through material culture, thereby making abstract futures concrete.

A talk at USC's Iovine and Young Academy for their Master of Science in Integrated Design, Business and Technology program at a Future of Work workshop hosted by Yihyun Lim.
I shared how I used design fiction and speculative design to find a more expansive canvas to describe my company OMATA to prospective investors.