We explored how speculative design can help us think about different types of futures: preferable, probable, plausible and possible. As designers, this approach allows us to imagine a range of future scenarios and consider the possibilities that may emerge. I found this concept interesting because as designers, we are in a position to develop ideas and solutions that could create meaningful change in the world. It made me reflect on the responsibility we have to think beyond the present and consider how our design decisions might shape the future.
I think speculative design is important because it encourages us to use our imagination and think beyond the technology we have today. It allows us to explore different possibilities and imagine how things could change in the future.
It allow us to challenge existing norms by questioning the social, political and ethical impacts that new technologies could have. I found this interesting because it shows that designers can think about the consequences of technology, rather than just focusing on creating something new.
Speculative design can help shape innovation, as some ideas that start as concepts can eventually become real solutions. Also, it helps us prepare for change by making us think about different possible futures and how we might adapt to them.
Learning how to practice speculative design showed me that the process can start with a simple “what if?” question or concern and develop through research and experimentation. I found it interesting to see how different design methods can be used to communicate an idea, such as creating visual outcomes. This helped me understand how I could use speculative design in my own design process.
In the same group as last week, we returned to look at the Meta glasses and imagined what these could look like in 24 years, and whether the same issues they have today would be resolved.
We discussed that there could be the option of contact lenses for people who do not want to wear glasses. We also thought about security, as if someone stole your glasses, they would not be able to activate them because your fingerprint would be needed to allow access to the display.
Another aspect we discussed was that we think the camera could be removed completely and replaced with a lens display. The benefit of having everything on the glasses would mean that people would need fewer devices and hopefully could become more sociable if we are not always glued to our phones.
However, we also mentioned that it could be difficult to escape reality if we had to rely on one device for so many aspects of our lives. Potentially, this could have a negative effect on people's mental health, as people may become too dependent on technology and find it harder to disconnect.
In development, the AI companion app could detect air pressure and adjust the glasses to suit the user's eyesight. It could also add a blue-light filter to help reduce eye strain when wearing them for long periods of time.