This Week in Design Fiction - June 23, 2023
Let's gather 'round the fire and tell some stories.
Hello fellow chrononauts. I hope things are just dandy in your primeline. Welcome to all the new subscriptions that joined this week. Nice to have you on board.
Here are a few links to keep you inspired and thinking about the future this weekend.
🚘Car makers prototyping EVs with fake stick shifts and pretend engine sounds
Is this real life? What started as a speculative design concept reimagining the sound of our cities, has crash-landed into our primeline, evolving into an absurd trend. Granted, this isn't fresh out of the oven, but I'm noticing some interesting mutations. The saga began when Tesla installed a speaker to simulate engine noise, primarily for alerting unsuspecting pedestrians of the stealthy EV. This sparked a chain reaction, with the Dodge Charger EV incorporating a speaker and subwoofer to mimic the hearty roar of a traditional, gas-guzzling muscle car.
And here we are today, where it seems irrelevant what you're driving; the future promises the potential to transform your vehicle's audio persona into any engine sound you fancy. Why draw the line at car sounds, right? I'm all set to make my janky time machine echo the menacing growl of a Star Wars Tie Fighter, or even mimic the disgruntled hiss of a temperamental shelter cat. This is definitely a topic worthy of diving into further in a design fiction piece. Stay tuned!
READ THE ARTICLE HEAR HERE: Car makers prototyping EVs with fake stick shifts and pretend engine sounds | Boing Boing
📄RiteFeeling behavior modification program to reduce meetings
Last week I brought you an article by Chris Butler on How to write product management fiction to help anticipate possible futures, and well, he’s followed it up with a little exposition. In his sequel he walks through his process and uses the Work Kit of Design Fiction to generate ideas, feeling into some implications.
READ THE MEDIUM ARTICLE HERE: RiteFeeling behavior modification program to reduce meetings | by Chris Butler | Predict | Jun, 2023 | Medium
📘Hot Off The Presses: The Manual of Design Fiction Paperback Edition
The meticulously typeset, linen hardcover of the Manual of Design Fiction sold out in a hot minute, just a few months ago, leaving a lot of people wishing they’d pulled the trigger on that “buy now” button sooner. Well, I have some good news for you. As of today, the equally well-typeset and designed version of the book is now available. Like the hardcover, this one too, is an independently published offering that will sell out in no time. Pick up this true labour of love and craftsmanship from the Near Future Laboratory, edited and designed by No Media Co.
*While supplies last
BUY THE BOOK HERE: The Manual of Design Fiction (Paperback) – Near Future Laboratory Shop