Design Futures in a Wider Context: Historical Reflections, Potential Directions, and Challenges Ahead
Author(s): Marco Bevolo
Abstract: The main motivation at the heart of the paper is to contextualize Design Futures from various viewpoints, while presenting references of various nature. The purpose of the paper is namely to ground Design Futures in an historical and intellectual framework, starting from High Design, the past approach in use at Philips Design between 1991 and 2011. From there, the paper will move forward to more recent publications and engage in an ideal dialog with selected practice-based references.In this paper, the foundation for Design Futures, is High Design. High Design was the approach, the process, and the proposition by Philips Design in the decades 1991-2011. From this starting point, the paper will address the relationship between designers and the future; the connection between designers and visions of the future; and methodological challenge. This paper will address five general questions related to the philosophical nature, the methodological substance, and the operational praxis of Design Futures, with reference to different instances. These questions emerged from practice. By means of them, this paper will scope goals, ambitions, and boundaries of Design Futures, connecting High Design, its past ancestor, with future developments, e.g. AI. Answers to these five questions will be provided in the form of conclusions of this paper. This paper is based on reflexivity and literary review, with critical viewpoints as developed in professional and educational practice combined with theoretical considerations. Further empirical research might be designed and executed to develop new insights on the topics at hand. The relevance of this paper lies in the necessity to systematically provide systematic perspective and structure to an increasingly expanding field, e.g. from corporate design to speculative design, from constructivist co-creation to AI-based anticipations.
Practical Implications: This paper offers an in-depth reflection on a field in dynamic evolution and in fast business development, therefore a valuable reference point in establishing historical coherence and future consistency to such multidisciplinary and complex field.
Keywords: Design Futures; Futures Research; Foresight; Strategic Design; SSH (Social Sciences and Humanities)
Cite as – Bevolo, M. (2023). Design Futures in A Wider Context: Historical Reflections, Potential Directions, and Challenges Ahead. International Journal of Design and Allied Sciences, 2 (2), 27-41.