Over 10 years ago I did what everyone said I shouldn't. I created a hardware startup. “Dude. Don't do it. Hardware is hard!” But, I did it. Maybe it's because I went to Montessori School and was instilled with a different set of decision making muscles. It was hard, no doubt. They were not wrong about that. But I got it done. Built a product — something beautiful and functional that people actually wanted. It was a journey filled with challenges, learning, and growth. I joked that CEO stood for “Chief Everything Officer” because I did everything. I was the product designer, the industrial designer, the software designer, the interaction designer, the UX designer, the filmer, the brand guy, the service & support guy, the marketing guy, the advertising guy, shipping & receiving dept., the UI designer, the design researcher, the design strategist, and the design thinker. And to bookend this experience, I finally printed this book — two volumes! — that is as...

I read with interest the article in The New Yorker by Hua Hsu, "What Happens After A.I. Destroys College Writing?". What was most sort of..disconcerting, I suppose about the article was how flippant the students were as regards their disdain for the process of writing, and how they were using AI to generate their essays, papers, and other assignments. It was as if they were just going through the motions of college, but not really engaging with the material or the process of learning. But, maybe this is their moment to define the world they will enter after college. Maybe they are just being practical, and using the tools available to them to get through the system. I don't know. But it got me thinking about the designed functional fiction projects I've been working on — particularly Ghostwriter and Vibewriter, both of which are studies, observations and reflections on what writing might become in some habitable AI future in which writing...

Vibewriter is a web app I created as part of my AI Designed Fictions Research Studio, where I make artifacts from the futures of AI I imagine, rather than the ones that are being built by the tech industry. Vibewriter is a writing tool that is more like kettle bells for the brain — a ludic exercise that amplifies the act of writing over the end goal of finishing an essay or synthesizing ideas. (That's more the province of Ghostwriter, which is a more robust, generative, collaborative writing muse.) Vibewriter is a writing exercise or ritual in the shape of a timed game that uses the kind of literary genres you used to find in the Dewey Decimal system card catalog or your local independent book shop: Detective, Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy— it's mean to that helps you write in different genres, like a Hardboiled Detective Novel, or a Romance Novel, or a Science Fiction Novel. It’s like a writing gym...

In this edition of Office Hours Side Projects, we explore innovative projects from our community members. From 3D printing advancements to AI-driven tools, the discussions are rich with insights and creativity. Presentations of Side Projects by Ben, Eduardo, and Sabrina spark engaging conversations about the future of design, technology, and leadership. Ben's 2.5D to 3D conversion project showcases the potential of AI in creative processes, while Eduardo's Toaster app offers a fresh take on note-taking and organization. Sabrina's leadership card game encourages innovative thinking and collaboration.

A conversation with Outgoing — Dell and Brett, the duo behind the studio called Outgoing, situated somewhere in Gowanus, Brooklyn. They are a design studio that creates objects and spaces that are both functional and beautiful, with a focus on sustainability and craftsmanship and the opinions of a particular feline that roams about their studio. Their work spans various mediums, including furniture, lighting, and installations. If you look at their work, you can sense that it is driven by a playful, collaborative, and generative approach to craft and making. Like most of these conversation I get to have, its a ranging discussion. You'll get some insights into their approach, the sorts of artifacts they create — including sculptures, furniture, and music.

“At the heart of the EFM is a mundane scenic event: watching TV.” Here's that paper by Paul Coulton, et.al. that describes how a fictional, AI-driven “smart media” experience was staged inside a mobile living room (a retrofitted tear-drop caravan), where participants engaged with what appeared to be an intelligent TV system that was configured to adapt in real time to their behavior. But actually, the entire experience was carefully orchestrated using the "Wizard of Oz" type setup. They did this to simulate an AI-driven environment and then observe how people react when the basic norms of familiar and mundane activities, like watching TV, are subtly disrupted.

Join me on June 28th at 3pm at the LA Design Festival for a hands-on introduction to futuring through Design Fiction. Sign up to attend here. In this compact workshop, you'll explore how to prototype possible futures using artifacts rather than predictions. We’ll step beyond traditional storytelling to create tangible glimpses into what could be—using props, products, and everyday ephemera from worlds just around the corner. Come and stretch your imagination with us as we explore the near future in a playful, practical way. We'll be working in small groups on guided, hands-on exercises designed to spark imagination and make futures feel real. Prizes from the Future for the most imaginative and creative futures will be awarded at the end of the workshop!

Another episode of Office Hours Side Projects Edition N°265, where we get together to share our interests, passions, current or past or even future side projects. This episode had sharings from three participants, Jordan, Guiliana, and Isabella. 👇🏽 Jordan discusses his vision for a speculative design studio aimed at aiding small businesses in San Francisco, sparking a rich discussion on practical applications and community engagement. Guiliana presents her 'Apple Puff' project, an exploration into future design and speculative thinking as it applies to consumer products, leading to insightful feedback on storytelling and conceptual depth. Isabella introduces her 'Lab for Radical Museum Futures' focusing on using design fiction to reimagine the future operations and missions of museums, which inspired thoughts on expanding the framework of future thinking in the cultural sector.

Presentations from Anushka Shinde, discussing the Design Science Lab's community project and the Artifact Scanner from Dré Labre. The session highlights the value of analog tools in fostering creativity and speculative design. Themes include community, speculative play, and the materiality of design fiction. The conversation serves as a showcase of ongoing design work and a meta-discussion on fostering imagination, critique, and creativity in shared spaces.