BOUNDARYLESS CONVERSATIONS PODCAST - EPISODE 107
#107 – Understanding Design Fiction with Fabien Girardin and Nicolas Nova
Have you ever wondered how visualizing complex futures can help you take actions and decisions today? Fabien Girardin and Nicolas Nova, pioneers of the practice of Design Fiction, take us on a journey into it to explain what it is for and what comes beyond it.
This episode reveals what it means to create tangible expressions of potential futures while considering its complex relationship with technology, global trends, and societal implications.
They share real-world examples of scenario building and discuss how to operationalize future thinking in organizations through the use of co-creation, AI, and other tools.
Join us on this episode as we explain how complex futures can sometimes be comprehended only using mundane objects and consciously building muscle for continuous innovation.
Podcast Notes
Fabien and Nicolas have spent decades guiding small and large organizations to envision and prepare for future scenarios. They are now working to expand the design fiction practice beyond its initial decades of practice.
Their work has helped organizations move beyond abstract predictions by engaging with diegetic and relatable prototypes, creating thousands of tools for strategic reflection.
Taking the example of the “IKEA Catalog for the Future,” they highlight how everyday objects can become evocative representations that make future concepts more accessible.
This episode will serve as a comprehensive guide to visualizing imagination, including insights into AI’s potential role as a creative accelerator in building such prototypes.
Tune in to discover actionable methods to help you navigate the complexities of the future before it happens.
Discount Code for Listeners!
Fabien and Nicolas have been kind enough to offer all our listeners a 20% Discount for the Manual of Design Fiction Book (Paperback Edition):
Discount Code: BOUND-7BDS4
Link to the book page: https://www.girardinnova.com/the-manual-of-design-fiction/
Link to the shop with discount: https://books.girardinnova.com/discount/BOUND-7BDS4?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fthe-manual-of-design-fiction
Disclaimer: This is not an affiliate link, Boundaryless doesn’t monetize your book purchase.
Key highlights
👉 Design Fiction shifts future thinking from abstract complexities to tangible prototypes, making it easier for organizations to grasp the potential impact of future scenarios.
👉 Using mundane, everyday objects is important to bring complex technological and societal changes to life while making it more relatable.
👉 Building a “Design Fiction muscle” involves integrating future thinking as a regular practice within organizations rather than relying on occasional workshops.
👉 AI is transforming future prototyping by accelerating the process and providing a larger perspective for creative explorations.
👉 To stay ahead of disruption through continuous improvement, it’s important for organizations also to involve diverse perspectives.
👉 Design Fiction can go beyond product and service prototypes to also reimagine organizations themselves.
Topics (chapters):
00:00 Quote
00:53 Guest Introduction
02:17 Introduction to Design Fiction
06:12 Changes of Design Fiction over the decades
10:56 Methods in deploying Design Fiction
15:36 Being “Diagetic”
18:27 Use Cases, Competitive Advantage, and Motivations for Design Fiction
21:03 Operationalizing Design Fiction Capabilities
27:05 What’s the hard part in adopting Design Fiction
30:56 AI in Design Fiction
37:09 The Implications of Design Fiction
41:52 Future of Design Fiction
45:00 Breadcrumbs and Suggestions
Guest’s suggested breadcrumbs
- Ethan Mollick – Co-Intelligence
- Patrick Tanguay – Sentier Media
- Jaymo
- Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg
- Sofia Crespo
Podcast recorded on 1st October 2024.
Get in touch with Boundaryless:
Find out more about the show and the research at Boundaryless at https://boundaryless.io/resources/podcast
To find more about the guests
Other references and mentions
Guest suggested breadcrumbs
.png%3Fv%3D2026-07-07%2007%3A38%3A24.495%2B00&w=3840&q=90)
.png%3Fv%3D2026-07-15%2012%3A45%3A48.76%2B00&w=3840&q=90)
Stay in the loop
New podcast episodes, reports, webinars, and updates, directly in your inbox. Signal, not spam.