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Futures Thinking in Design Systems and Social Transformation

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A special issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954). This special issue belongs to the section "Artificial Intelligence and Digital Systems Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 38470

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhiyong Fu

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Guest Editor

Department of Information Art and Design, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Interests: design futures; service design; human–computer interaction

Dr. Anna Barbara

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Guest Editor

Design Department, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: interior and spatial design; future education

Dr. Peter Scupelli

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Guest Editor

School of Design, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
Interests: human-computer interaction; learning environments

Dr. Yanru Lyu

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Guest Editor

Department of Digital Media Arts, School of Media and Design, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
Interests: future-oriented digital media design; human-computer interaction; experimental aesthetics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Complex global challenges, such as pollution, global warming, pandemics and financial crises, drive concern about the uncertain future of nature and society. In engaging with large-scale problems, the design community recognizes the need for design foresight to accomplish long-term goals. Future literacy and design foresight are becoming indispensable in designing systems and play a vital role in enhancing social resilience. The challenges brought about by the changing world due to human intervention and the globalization crisis promote the exploration of new, innovative solutions. Social and humanistic speculation and guidance of sustainable direction should not be ignored. Future thinking combines foresight, speculation and design fiction to identify the causal relationship of complexity and find innovative paths of innovation to deliver social well-being and economic prosperity. Future-oriented design is used to tackle challenges in traditional field and application modes for enterprises, society, education and industry, and in shaping a network for global sharing and co-creation. The aim is to provide a compass guiding the development of society toward sustainable, equitable and desirable futures, and to make strategic decisions vital to social transformation. This Special Issue is mainly focused on discussing the action and strategy of design foresight and analyzing successful cases and practical examples of design futures with the aim of futurescaping for current social transformation and innovation.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

Integrating future thinking into design research frameworks and models;
Design methods for the study of social futurescaping;
Future-oriented design practice;
Explorations of the relationship between design futures and social transformation;
Reviews and iteration of future thinking in design systems;
Cultivation of future literacy in design innovation;
Multiple voices and agencies in envisaging and implementing social futures with design strategy;
Anticipatory assumptions in designing resilient and sustainable futures;
Future perspectives of social transformation from philosophy, well-being, society and education;

References

Barbara, A., & Scupelli, P. (2021). Teaching to dexign futures in cities. Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment, 2, 112-116.
Fu, Z., & Zhou, Y. (2020). Research on human–AI co-creation based on reflective design practice. CCF Transactions on Pervasive Computing and Interaction, 2(1), 33-41.
Scupelli, P. (2019). Teaching to transition design: a case study on design agility, design ethos, and dexign futures. Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios en Diseño y Comunicación. Ensayos, (73), 109-130.
Kelliher, A., & Byrne, D. (2015). Design futures in action: Documenting experiential futures for participatory audiences. Futures, 70, 36-47.
Candy, S., & Kornet, K. (2019). Turning foresight inside out: An introduction to ethnographic experiential futures. Journal of Futures Studies, 23(3), 3-22.
Zaidi, L. (2019). Worldbuilding in science fiction, foresight and design. Journal of Futures Studies, 23(4), 15-26.

Dr. Zhiyong Fu
Dr. Anna Barbara
Dr. Peter Scupelli
Dr. Yanru Lyu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

futures thinking
social transformations
future-oriented design
futures literacy
design foresight

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 9950 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Exploration of Integrating the Midjourney Artificial Intelligence Generated Content Tool into Design Systems to Direct Designers towards Future-Oriented Innovation

by Hu Yin, Zipeng Zhang and Yuanyuan Liu

Systems 2023, 11(12), 566; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11120566 - 4 Dec 2023

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 11256

Abstract

In an age where computing capabilities are expanding at a breathtaking pace, the advent of Artificial Intelligence-Generated Content (AIGC) technology presents unprecedented opportunities and challenges to the future of design. It is crucial for designers to investigate how to utilize this powerful tool to facilitate innovation effectively. As AIGC technology evolves, it will inevitably shift the expectations of designers, compelling them to delve deeper into the essence of design creativity, transcending traditional sketching or modeling skills. This study provides valuable insights for designers on leveraging AIGC for forward-thinking design innovation. We focus on the representative AIGC tool, “Midjourney”, to explore its integration into design systems for collaborative innovation among content creators. We introduce an AIGC-based Midjourney path for product design and present a supporting tool card set: AMP-Cards. To confirm their utility, we undertook extensive validation through advanced prototype design research, task-specific project practices, and interdisciplinary collaborative seminars. Our findings indicate that AIGC can considerably enhance designers’ efficiency during product development, especially in the “explorative product shape” phase. The technology excels in identifying design styles and quickly producing varied design solutions. Moreover, AIGC’s capacity to swiftly translate creators’ concepts into visual forms greatly aids in multidisciplinary team communication and innovation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Futures Thinking in Design Systems and Social Transformation)

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14 pages, 57697 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Futures Studies for Design Systems and Social Transformation from Time/Space-Based Perspectives

by Anna Barbara and Yuemei Ma

Systems 2023, 11(11), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11110552 - 17 Nov 2023

Viewed by 2081

Abstract

Analyses of disciplines encompassing futures studies reveal a prevailing tendency to perceive time as a linear sequence of projections. However, this perspective is not applicable to the current context of social transformation in the age of globalization and digitization, such as sustainable development. Preliminary investigations into time-based design and futures studies have shown the potential of time-based paradigms for predicting reliable future scenarios and redesigning current forms of spaces, relationships, and services in response to these desired futures. In this paper, we describe a project of an Ephemeral and Temporary Space Design Laboratory, which has been a pedagogical experiment for 3 years to date in the School of Design at the Politecnico di Milano. The objective of this project is to systematically design an area of the city by reflecting on the relationship between design systems and social change, using participatory design methods such as field research and interviews with local residents to systematically redesign the urban space of the Lodi/Corvetto area in the city of Milan. This research aims to investigate the systematic influence of time factors on the spatial design of urban communities through futuristic and time/space-based design perspectives. The findings demonstrate that the utilization of time-based paradigms and tools can effectively enhance the time-based design approach, resulting in its increased integration within the design process. This integration plays a pivotal role in the construction of systems that have the capability to interact with and catalyze social transformation within the broader public and shared community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Futures Thinking in Design Systems and Social Transformation)

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16 pages, 4442 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Future Design Approach to Ageing Based on the Double Diamond Model

by Xiaochun Wang, Zihan Huang, Tongfei Xu, Yuting Li and Xiangang Qin

Systems 2023, 11(8), 404; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11080404 - 6 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3808

Abstract

As the global trend of aging continues to intensify, there will inevitably be more complex and diverse aging-related problems. Designers have a responsibility to explore the possible outcomes of the future and solve the ageing-related problems that will be faced in the future. Based on the Future Cone, the Double Diamond Model and the IDEO Method Cards, this study proposes a new model to guide the design practice of future aging issues in the context of aging. With the aim of validating and refining the framework, an ageing designer workshop was held, in which participants were asked to imagine, explore and express ideas about future ageing-related issues. The workshop was used to refine the proposed model. Specifically, the model includes a future concept, a design guidance process based on the Double Diamond Model, and tools that can be applied at all stages of design, which can help designers to generate ideas and solutions for future aging problems, as well as collectively lead society toward a more desirable future. Moreover, this study explores broader directions for the development of the model and provides a reference for continued research into this topic in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Futures Thinking in Design Systems and Social Transformation)

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17 pages, 700 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Emotional Design Model for Future Smart Product Based on Grounded Theory

by Chiju Chao, Yu Chen, Hongfei Wu, Wenxuan Wu, Zhijie Yi, Liang Xu and Zhiyong Fu

Systems 2023, 11(7), 377; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11070377 - 23 Jul 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3787

Abstract

Recently, smart products have not only demonstrated more functionality and technical capabilities but have also shown a trend towards emotional expression. Emotional design plays a crucial role in smart products as it not only influences users’ perception and evaluation of the product but also promotes collaborative communication between users and the product. In the future, emotional design of smart products needs to be regarded as an important comprehensive design issue, rather than simply targeting a specific element. It should consider factors such as design systems, values, business strategies, technical capabilities, design ethics, and cultural responsibilities. However, currently, there is a lack of a design model that combines these elements. Currently, there are numerous practices in emotional design for smart products from different perspectives. They provide us an opportunity to build a comprehensive design model based on a large number of design case studies. Therefore, this study employed a standardized grounded theory approach to investigate 80 smart products and conducted interviews with 12 designers to progressively code and generate a design model. Through the coding process, this research extracted 547 nodes and gradually formed 10 categories, ultimately resulting in a design model comprising 5 sequential steps. This model includes user requirements, concept definition, design ideation, design implementation, and evaluation, making it applicable to most current and future emotional design issues in smart products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Futures Thinking in Design Systems and Social Transformation)

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27 pages, 4756 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Data-Driven Futuristic Scenarios: Smart Home Service Experience Foresight Based on Social Media Data

by Yu Cheng and Sanghun Sul

Systems 2023, 11(6), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11060287 - 3 Jun 2023

Viewed by 2022

Abstract

Exploring future scenarios can consider future generations and society from a long-term perspective. A Futures Triangle is an approach used for mapping future scenarios. In general, the Futures Triangle collects weak signals using qualitative research methods. However, collecting weak signals qualitatively is limited by its small data size and manual data analysis errors. To overcome those limitations, this study proposes the data-driven futuristic scenario approach. This approach analyzes a large number of social perceptions existing in social networks as weak signals via semantic network analysis. Using our proposed data-driven approach, researchers can quantitatively collect weak signals for a Futures Triangle. To verify the applicability of the proposed method, we conducted a case study on the Chinese smart home service experience. The dataset consists of 2421 posts containing the keyword “smart home experience” on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. Three future scenarios were constructed using the proposed method. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed methodology. The data-driven futuristic scenario approach has the advantage of quantitatively analyzing a large amount of stakeholder data to provide weak signals for the Futures Triangle. We suggest that the data-driven futuristic scenario approach serves as a supplementary method, combined with the traditional Futures Triangle approach, to comprehensively explore future scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Futures Thinking in Design Systems and Social Transformation)

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27 pages, 1747 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design-Driven Conflicts: A Design-Oriented Methodology for Mindset and Paradigm Shifts in Human Social Systems

by Moein Nedaei and Alexis Jacoby

Systems 2023, 11(5), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11050226 - 3 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2751

Abstract

Transformability is one of the essential attributes of social systems. To improve transformability, one should create the preconditions for strategic intervention on the underlying social structures. This paper proposes a design-driven conflict (DDC) methodology in response to the limitation of the systemic design approach by aggregating a network of allies essential for the paradigmatic shifts. The proposed methodology has more strategic implications. It starts with unfolding the actors and shared resources (phase one context mapping). It continues with defining the power relations between them, drivers, and spillovers that cause conflicts and disagreements (phase two analysis). After this, it shows how one can synthesize the commonalities and the core narratives of actors in the form of boundary objects (phase three synthesis). By using the existing narratives and the commonalities between actors as inputs for the translation phase, DDC creates the preconditions for a network of allies construction. Next, the methodology uses translation as a method, in relation to the four moments of a ‘sociology of translation’, problematization, interessement, enrolment, and mobilization, in order to gradually change the learning paradigm of the system. In the scaling-up phase (phase five), DDC proposes ways of creating a narrative platform, shedding light on how to mobilize the results of translation from the community level onto a broader social scale. The framework for the design methodology has been evaluated based on a method content analysis and by a group of experts from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. The results show, except for the efficiency of the method, which requires additional investigation in a real-life context, the efficacy and effectiveness of the method have been elaborated in a sufficient way. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Futures Thinking in Design Systems and Social Transformation)

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21 pages, 7451 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploiting Service Design in Service Quality: Escorting the Customer’s Experiential Value in the Journey of a Star-Rated Hotel

by Tsen-Yao Chang and Yu-Chieh Chiu

Systems 2023, 11(4), 206; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11040206 - 19 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3814

Abstract

The present research presented a novel model for incorporating service design to create guest experiential value. Taking a star hotel in Taiwan as an example, this study used the KJ method to classify online reviews about hotel services and then created a customer journey map (CJM) through participant observation of the entire service process. By deconstructing the service process and identifying key service touchpoints, service design ideas were incorporated into the CJM. A Kano questionnaire was then adopted to accommodate 38 service scape attributes in 4 segments: 1 attribute in the maintenance area, 10 of the high-priority area, 11 of the low-priority area, and 16 of differentiation. The overall research results propose experience design strategies for the hotel industry in terms of the service content and operation processes of star-rated hotels, which can then be adjusted according to their operating conditions to construct their unique service experience content. This is expected to be the basis for subsequent research and serve as a basis and reference for improving hotel service design strategies and competitiveness in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Futures Thinking in Design Systems and Social Transformation)

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37 pages, 7507 KiB

Open AccessArticle

System Dynamics Analysis of the Relationship between Urban Transportation and Overall Citizen Satisfaction: A Case Study of Patras City, Greece

by Menia Mylonakou, Athanasios Chassiakos, Stylianos Karatzas and Garyfallia Liappi

Systems 2023, 11(3), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11030112 - 21 Feb 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2966

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to evaluate how the transport sector affects the satisfaction of citizens. The model developed aims both at assessing the satisfaction of citizens and using it as a tool to measure the change in citizens’ satisfaction resulting from new mobility practices or policies. The developed scenarios are based on the principles of sustainability and the action plans concern: better accessibility conditions for alternative means of transport; improving travel safety; reducing air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption; increasing efficiency and effectiveness in the movement of people and goods; and enhancing the attractiveness and quality of the urban environment. The results reveal that it is necessary for local decision makers to take further measures to increase the overall satisfaction of citizens with the aim of prosperity and happiness of citizens within their city, and the proposed model can support the decision-making process. Utilizing the developed system dynamics model, it is possible to make simulations with new data and at the same time to evaluate the change they bring to the individual sectors and to the overall satisfaction of the citizens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Futures Thinking in Design Systems and Social Transformation)

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Review

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24 pages, 17788 KiB

Open AccessReview

Exploring the Roles of Artifacts in Speculative Futures: Perspectives in HCI

by Lin Zhu, Jiayue Wang and Jiawei Li

Systems 2024, 12(6), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems12060194 - 3 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1351

Abstract

In an era where technology increasingly blurs the boundaries between humans and machines, artifacts have become crucial mediums for critically examining the technological, social, and ethical dimensions of Human–Computer Interaction (HCI). This study explores artifacts as a key yet underutilized medium for speculation in the evolving field of HCI from a systemic perspective. While artifacts increasingly enable HCI to move beyond optimizing user experiences towards critically and collaboratively envisioning futures, perspectives comprehensively examining artifacts across the speculative design process and their impacts remain limited. Through a literature review of 53 speculative artifacts within the scope of HCI, this research elucidates the roles of artifacts across intention, making, and impact. Four categories of speculative artifacts emerged—Reflective, Exploratory, Interventional, and Heuristic—demonstrating how artifacts employ material, ambiguous, functional, and provocative forms to shape experiences, behaviors, and social norms. This study highlights the need for HCI to increasingly recognize the capacity of artifacts to support critical, sustained, participatory speculation by providing tangible representations of alternative futures. Speculative artifacts thus serve as powerful mediums to engage in societal discourse around the ethics and values of emerging technologies and to envision and enact responsible innovation. The materialization of alternative futures through artifacts allows researchers to reimagine socio-technological relationships, pushing design into inclusive, controversial spaces where diverse stakeholders can collaboratively shape desired and undesired futures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Futures Thinking in Design Systems and Social Transformation)

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