The Power of Design Fiction in Visual Storytelling
Visual storytelling has become an essential tool for engaging audiences and building authentic connections.. As highlighted in Erica Santiago's article on visual storytelling, the ability to evoke emotions and create memorable narratives is crucial for brands In Design is Storytelling, Ellen Lupton explores speculative design tools in the sections titled Overture and Act 1 Action, emphasizing the power of design fiction to build narratives around possible futures. Concepts like scenario planning and the cone of plausibility help designers shape visual stories that explore hypothetical worlds, inviting viewers to ponder the ethical, social, and technological challenges of tomorrow. Through the lens of visual storytelling, design fiction transforms imagination into a tool for inquiry, allowing us to examine the outcomes of present-day decisions by depicting their effects in potential futures.
Design fiction is not merely about depicting outlandish futuristic worlds. As Lupton discusses in Overture, storytelling is most effective when it draws the audience into a scenario that feels both believable and thought-provoking. Julian Bleecker, a leading voice in the field, aligns with this notion by describing design fiction as “exploring and prototyping potential futures by making them seem tangible.” . In line with Act 1 Action, design fiction also calls for a compelling visual narrative arc that transforms abstract ideas into engaging, accessible stories.
credit: Superflux
Creating a Narrative of Tomorrow
One of the most compelling ways design fiction achieves this is through the creation of artifacts and scenarios that embody elements of future societies. For example, speculative projects often use visualizations of potential products, public spaces, or technologies. Lupton’s focus on narrative structure in Act 1 Action is echoed in these projects, which construct a “what if” scenario through carefully chosen visuals. By making ideas of futuristic AI, sustainable living, or advanced public services feel immediate and tangible, design fiction gives audiences a more personal experience of possible futures.
Superflux, a speculative design studio, leverages this approach masterfully in their project, “Mitigation of Shock.” They created a fully imagined “future kitchen” displaying food grown in resource-scarce environments due to climate change. This visual narrative, echoing Lupton’s Act 1 Action, structures the viewer’s experience around an unfolding story of climate adaptation, showing how individuals might cope with scarcity. The juxtaposition of familiar and unfamiliar visuals—the kitchen as we know it, yet radically changed—pulls the viewer into a believable yet unsettling future, encouraging critical reflection on environmental practices today.
credit: Tellart
Design Fiction as a Social Tool
Design fiction, through its speculative narratives, also inspires social reflection. Visual design becomes a vehicle for activism, as speculative projects address ethical, cultural, or societal issues. For instance, in collaboration with the Dubai Government, Tellart’s Museum of Future Government Services presents a hopeful vision of future governance, highlighting ethical questions through fictional public service interfaces and displays. This exhibit doesn’t just show a high-tech future; it explores Overture’s idea of grounding abstract ideas in scenarios that provoke emotional and intellectual engagement. By integrating design fiction into visual narratives, designers can make complex ethical or technological issues feel relatable and urgent.
Why Design Fiction Matters for Visual Designers
In Design is Storytelling, Lupton emphasizes the role of narrative in design, arguing that storytelling is an essential component of creating impactful experiences. Design fiction takes this further by allowing designers to explore “what if” scenarios that challenge assumptions and inspire discourse. Each visual element—colors, symbols, interfaces—carries the weight of the speculative world it represents, balancing familiarity with novelty. The visuals draw audiences into these imagined futures, making abstract or distant concepts feel accessible.
In conclusion, design fiction opens up new possibilities for visual designers by merging speculative inquiry with storytelling. Through the thoughtful construction of future scenarios, designers can provoke reflection on today's pressing issues and inspire a more intentional approach to the future. As Lupton suggests in Overture, storytelling is a powerful way to bridge the gap between concept and understanding, and design fiction brings that power to bear on some of the most crucial questions of our time.
