APPROACH

An experimental studio investigating futures, systems and strategy through design.

At FICTIVE, we tailor our consultancy services to communities, institutions and organisations, harnessing the power of Design Futures,
a multidisciplinary approach incorporating different futures-oriented disciplines such as Speculative Design, Design Fiction, and Experiential Futures. Our approach is rooted in the principle of exploring futures as both a possibility space and a practical realm for change. We apply this to real-world situations, guiding organisations to envision and create their desired futures.

We navigate the intricate landscape of future possibilities by embracing scenario building. Our team specialises in crafting detailed and insightful scenarios that allow organisations to explore diverse paths the future might take. In our approach, scenarios are not predictions but vivid narratives of potential states within complex systems. We create immersive, small-scale environments that serve as social prototypes of the scenarios envisioned with our clients. Unlike theoretical documents or computer simulations, these settings are real, living laboratories that provide a glimpse into the future.

We function as a prefigurative space, a unique environment where communities, institutions and organisations can model how they wish to take action in the future. We employ futures-oriented approaches to envision preferred futures and work together to transform these visions into reality. Our approach is rooted in strategic visioning, empowering organisations to shape their future in alignment with their aspirations and values.

At FICTIVE, we believe in the power of transformation through platforming. Our approach centres around the creation of Futures Platforms, innovative spaces within existing organisations where ongoing business activities meet visionary futuring. We seamlessly integrate new directions, products, and services while preserving the essence of an organisation’s culture.

Photo by Brian Merrill

At FICTIVE, we use different approaches and disciplines:

Future Scenarios and Systems
Embracing systems thinking, we analyse social, cultural, technological, economic, environmental, and geopolitical systems. Leveraging chaos and complexity theory, we project future systems behaviours, informing strategic decision-making.

Speculative Futures & Design Fiction
Using design processes, we imagine and critique future scenarios through tangible objects and narratives. Materialising scenarios, we explore implications and facilitate conversations, aiding organisations in shaping their future narratives.

Futures Platforms
We build innovative future systems within the organisational landscape. Incubating diverse social, cultural, and business environments, futures platforms serve as testbeds for disrupting ideas, utopian concepts and long-term strategic initiatives.

Transformative Imagination
Our team integrates discipline-based expertise with curiosity, critique, introspection, and an actively open mind. We encourage a synthetic view of problem-setting, honing situational awareness to anticipate and embrace change. Above all, we cultivate radical imagination, enabling our clients to envision, encourage, and create transformative futures.