Once Upon a Future

2022 – BOARD GAME ILLUSTRATION WORKSHOP SERVICE DESIGNGRAPHIC DESIGN

PROJECT PARTNER: urban futures , Romina houshmand, silje fridvall nicklasson

Project Description

 

The “Once Upon a Future” emerged as a transformative initiative conducted over two months, culminating in a dynamic “Afterwork workshop” at the Röhsska Museum. This project served as a fertile ground for applying my academic knowledge and expressing my zeal for creating sustainable communities through innovative design. We focused on speculative design and public engagement methodologies with the goal of reimagining the future landscapes of urban and rural areas, turning theoretical ideas into actionable concepts. The end result was a board game concept which responded to the project aims and goals.

Role and Contributions

 

  • Workshop Design and Leadership: I took a lead role in designing and facilitating a series of workshops that leveraged speculative design to engage diverse groups in imagining future environments. My responsibilities included developing the workshop structure, creating engaging activities, and leading discussions that encouraged participants to think critically about the future of urban living. These workshops were designed to be highly interactive, using a mix of design thinking principles and practical engagement techniques to foster deep discussions and collaborative outcomes.
  • Board Game Development and Implementation: A centerpiece of our project was the board game “Once Upon a Future,” which I designed together with my team to serve as a narrative tool for exploring future scenarios. This game was instrumental in facilitating engagement, allowing participants to role-play different personas we have conceptualized, each embodying various demographic and psychographic characteristics. This interactive element helped make abstract concepts more tangible, enabling participants to visualize and debate potential futures in a structured yet imaginative setting. The personas and future scenarios were created based on the input the people gave during the workshops.
  • Creative and Material Production: I oversaw the production of diverse materials necessary for the workshops, including detailed booklets, illustrative posters, and the game UX and cards for “Once Upon a Future.” These materials were crucial in setting the tone and supporting the speculative narratives we explored during the workshops and final event at the art museum in Gothenburg. They also served as a visual and tactile means to engage participants, making the theoretical discussions more accessible and impactful.

Impact and Outcomes

 

  • Strengthened Community Engagement: The project successfully engaged a wide audience, including students from the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers, as well as the general public. By integrating inclusive design thinking methodologies, we facilitated a broad exchange of ideas, capturing diverse perspectives that enriched the project’s outcomes and extended its impact beyond the academic realm.
  • Innovative Use of Speculative Design: Through the creative use of speculative design techniques, particularly the board game “Once Upon a Future,” we translated complex urban planning concepts into accessible, engaging formats. This approach not only fostered a deeper understanding among participants but also highlighted the practical implications of future-making activities.
  • Advancing Co-creative Practices: The workshops demonstrated the power of co-creative practices in tackling complex social challenges through design. This project was a testament to the effectiveness of collaborative design thinking in generating sustainable solutions and fostering a hopeful outlook on the future of our living spaces.

Personal Reflections

 

Reflecting on my role in the Urban Futures Collaboration, I am proud of the profound impact and the depth of engagement we achieved. Utilizing both service design and UX methodologies, I contributed significantly to discussions on sustainable futures. This experience has reinforced my commitment to using design as a powerful tool for social change and community engagement. It has inspired me to pursue further projects that harness the transformative potential of design to make a significant difference in the world.

*Collage posters made out of the collages created by the participants.