New ways of thinking about the future design fiction for public reflection to new and emerging technologies

While public appreciation is vital to technological inventions, the ramifications of these inventions remain extremely difficult to predict. This paper presents an original design fiction methodology intended to encourage public reflection on potential ramifications and desirable outcomes of technological advances. The paper first examines the theoretical considerations underpinning the methodology, including those from innovation theory, science and technology studies and design research. Next, it presents the approach using a case study of the public display of design fiction. The paper concludes with promising areas for future study.