Work Done: Research, Design Ops, workshop design
As 2022 unfolded at Uruit, we sensed a seismic shift in the U.S. tech landscape. The once-inflated 'tech bubble' began to deflate, prompting us to rethink our approach. Rather than passively awaiting the future, we embarked on a proactive mission to shape it.
Embracing Uncertainty: The Birth of Design Futures
Amidst market turbulence, we discerned signals of impending change. Fuelled by this insight, we drew inspiration from Design Fiction, a facet of Future Studies, to craft a framework adaptable to our organization's needs.
Rediscovering Our Design Purpose
As designers, our mission is clear: to forge solutions from ideas. However, amid shifting paradigms, we found ourselves grappling with the pressure to chase trends over leveraging our strengths. Returning to our roots, we dissected our processes to reclaim our problem-solving prowess.
Adapting Through Research
Immersing ourselves in a wealth of resources—from academic literature to real-world case studies—we unearthed the versatility of Design Futures. The Design Future practice is highly codified and adapted depending on each case, meaning everyone implements it as needed.
It was then were we decided to take a look at multiple successful applications of the progress to draw inspiration and understand what made each process unique depending on the situation.
Based on the results we started working backwards, understanding what entails a result in terms of key moments during the Design Fiction process and seeing what can we use and adapt to our current way of working.
In the end, we came up with a representation of the famous Double Diamond process made famous by the British Design Council and mixed it with the concept of the Design Future process and many interpretations that seemed fit to our work ethos.
In our quest to democratize knowledge, we curated a suite of artifacts, processes, and workshops tailored to our workspace and market. This arsenal of resources stands as a testament to our commitment to shared learning and growth
Synthesizing Frameworks
With our vision taking shape, we mapped out the operational intricacies of our prospective Design Fiction Cell. Drawing from Design Ops methodologies, we delineated clear steps, timelines, and activities, ensuring accessibility for all team members.
Like a handbook, we detailed 5 crucial steps for each Design Fiction project, each one with a specific timeframe, core activities, team, and processes with the idea that anyone from our team would be able to start a new project at any given time.
Like a handbook, we detailed 5 crucial steps for each Design Fiction project, each one with a specific timeframe, core activities, team, and processes with the idea that anyone from our team would be able to start a new project at any given time.
As we unveil this framework, we embark on a journey of discovery and refinement. Through iterative cycles and diverse explorations, we aim to glean insights, drive innovation, and navigate the ever-evolving landscape with confidence and agility.
