INDEXTRACK: STRATEGYTRACK: CREATIVE

Subject ID

M07-M7_

UNCLASSIFIED
Module 07

M7 L3 Project Brief

Project Brief: The Speculative Design Artifact

Module: 7: The Horizon Scan: Decoding Future Trends, Consumers, and Cultures Lesson: 3: The World in 2031: Projecting Long-Term Societal Transformation

1. Objective

Your objective is to move beyond simply writing about the future to creating a tangible piece from it. You will design a "speculative artifact" from 2031 that tells a story about a future world. This project will test your ability to engage in long-term strategic thinking, project the second- and third-order consequences of today's technology, and use design as a powerful tool for exploring and communicating complex future scenarios.

2. The Mission

Imagine you are a designer in the year 2031. You are creating an exhibit for a "Museum of Future History" that showcases everyday objects from the early 2030s. Your mission is to design one such artifact. This artifact should not be a futuristic gadget for its own sake, but a designed object that embodies a specific societal shift or technological implication from the "2031: A Future World" report.

Your artifact should tell a story about how people live, interact, or think in this future world. It should provoke thought and discussion about the implications of the trends we are seeing today.

3. Your Task

You will choose one of the societal vectors from the "2031: A Future World" report (e.g., Identity, Communication, Entertainment, Education, Brands, Society, or Our Planet) as the focus for your speculative artifact.

Your workflow should be:

  1. Choose Your Future: Select a specific aspect of the 2031 future you want to explore (e.g., "The Future of Education").
  2. Identify a Key Implication: What is a specific, interesting implication of this future? (e.g., "Education is entirely personalized and delivered by AI companions.").
  3. Design the Artifact: What kind of everyday object would exist in this future that embodies this implication? (e.g., "A personalized AI learning device").
  4. Create the Artifact: Design the visual appearance of your artifact. This can be a sketch, a digital rendering, or even a simple physical prototype.
  5. Write the Narrative: Create a short piece of "design fiction" that tells a story about your artifact. This should be a brief narrative that explains what the artifact is, how it is used, and what it reveals about the future world it comes from.

4. Key Requirements

Your Speculative Design Artifact submission must include:

Part 1: The Speculative Artifact (Visual)

  • A visual representation of your speculative artifact. This can be:
    • A high-quality sketch or drawing.
    • A digital rendering (e.g., created in Figma, Photoshop, or an AI image generator).
    • A photograph of a simple physical prototype.
  • The visual should clearly communicate the form and function of the artifact, and subtly hint at the future context it comes from.

Part 2: The Design Fiction Narrative (Written)

A short, compelling narrative (approximately 500-700 words) that tells the story of your artifact. This narrative should include:

  1. Artifact Name & Type: A clear name for your artifact and what it is (e.g., "The Echo Tutor: Personalized AI Learning Device").
  2. The Future Context: Briefly describe the aspect of the 2031 future that your artifact comes from. What societal shift or technological advancement made this artifact possible?
  3. How It Works: Explain how the artifact functions and how a person would interact with it in their daily life.
  4. The Story It Tells: Most importantly, explain what your artifact reveals about this future world. What are the implications (positive or negative) of its existence? What does it say about the values, challenges, or opportunities of 2031?

5. Format and Deliverable

  • Format: A single, well-structured Markdown document.
  • Deliverable: A .md file named Speculative_Artifact.md.

7. Tips for Success

  • Balance Creativity with Plausibility: Your artifact should be imaginative, but it should also feel like it could exist in 2031, given current trends and technological trajectories.
  • Focus on the Story: The artifact is a prop for your narrative. Ensure your design fiction clearly communicates the story you want to tell about the future.
  • Visuals Matter: A compelling visual representation of your artifact will significantly enhance your project. Even a simple sketch can be powerful if it's clear and evocative.
  • Provoke Thought: The best speculative design makes people think and question. Aim to create an artifact that sparks discussion about the implications of the future you're exploring.

6. Evaluation Criteria

Your project will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Foresight & Insight (50%):
    • How well does your artifact embody a specific, insightful implication of the 2031 future?
    • Does it provoke thought and reveal a deep understanding of potential societal transformations (positive or negative)?
    • Does it effectively connect to the societal vector you chose from the "2031: A Future World" report?
  • Creativity & Design (30%):
    • How creative and compelling is your artifact's design? Is it original and thought-provoking?
    • Is the visual representation clear, effective, and does it communicate the artifact's function and context?
    • Does the design feel plausible within the 2031 future you've envisioned?
  • Narrative & Communication (20%):
    • How well does your design fiction narrative bring the artifact and its future world to life?
    • Is the narrative engaging, clear, and thought-provoking?
    • Does it effectively explain the artifact's purpose, function, and its broader implications for the future?

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