Calling for a Plurality of Perspectives on Design Futuring: An Un-Manifesto

Abstract

The Futures Cone, a prominent model in design futuring, is useful for promoting discussions about possible, plausible, probable, and preferable futures. Yet this model has limitations, such as representing diverse human experiences as a singular point of "the present" and implicitly embedding notions of linear progress. Responding to this, we argue that a plurality of perspectives is needed to engage imaginations that depict a diverse unfolding of potential futures. Through refecting on our own cultural and professional backgrounds, we ofer fve perspectives for design futuring as a contribution to this plurality: Parallel Presents, "I Am Time", Epithelial Metaphors, the Uncertainties Cone, and Meet (with) "Speculation". These perspectives open alternative approaches to design futuring, move outside prevalent notions of technological progress, and foreground interdependent, relational agencies. CCS CONCEPTS• Human-centered computing → Human computer interaction (HCI); HCI theory, concepts and models.

No More “Solutionism” or “Saviourism” in Futuring African HCI: A Manyfesto

“…The adoption of these approaches has led to a range of studies that view design futuring as a critical lens for drawing attention to neglected design themes (e.g. [45,87,88,158]) -themes that when brought into focus might point to how events of the present can either bring about changes to the probabilistic attribute of future or go further in concealing the narratives of the past. This thereby presents design futuring as a politics that can interrogate the nature of thinking and making in themselves [98,164].…”

“…The Arabic expression Insha Allah implies the firm belief that if GOD wills, events will happen; be it colonialism, poverty, and alienation. In HCI, the expression was adopted as a way of drawing attention to the need for embracing uncertainty and ambiguity as a critical design strategy in futuring [88]. However, the phrase is conceived here as an instrument for showing the interdependence between imagination and reality that if a person has a forthright intention for morally doing good deeds for themselves and others, ‫ﷲ‬ (Subhana Wa Ta ala -SWT) will intervene by opening/ and offering new prospect into the future.…”

Fabulating Biodata Futures for Living and Knowing Together

“…With our fabulations we are not only interested in imagining roles for biodata, but we also explore new ways of designing with biodata. Overall, the fabulations offer an imaginative perspective on existing trends in HCI and radically extrapolate toward alternative futures-not a totalizing view of progress toward the future, but rather a diversity of alternative futures [46,48]. For instance, the preface draws in present tensions in HCI around algorithmic authority, bias, and contestability [3,16,36,45,55,76], and ongoing debates between those who are more trusting or more critical of biodata insights.…”

Stories from the Frontline: Recuperating Essential Worker Accounts of AI Integration

“…Recognizing the importance of everyday practices of design outside the home, researchers have used participatory methods to engage community members and other stakeholders toward more appropriate and sustainable solutions [4,7,11,12]. Common among these methods is collective futuring, moving from incremental adjustments within one's environment to imagining preferable and lasting outcomes [9,17,19,20]. Heitlinger et al [19], for example, describe eforts to elicit the realities of urban food growing and construct alternative visions for smart futures in collaboration with grassroots community groups in Newcastle upon Tyne.…”