Eliciting Tech Futures Among Black Young Adults: A Case Study of Remote Speculative Co-Design

Title of the Paper

Eliciting Tech Futures Among Black Young Adults: A Case Study of Remote Speculative Co-Design

Paper Information

• Domain: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), Minority Participation in Design Research
• Keywords: Participatory Design, Design Fiction, Design Workshops, Co-Design, Afrofuturism

Research Background and Problem

• Problem or Challenge: Conventional design practices often exhibit exclusivity and neglect marginalized social groups, resulting in technological designs that fail to adequately reflect the social needs or cultural contexts of these communities. Additionally, remote participation constraints during the pandemic have exacerbated the digital divide in addressing technological needs.
• Significance: Addressing social inequalities through technological design is crucial for marginalized groups. Whether these technologies can fundamentally contribute to building a future free from racial discrimination and resource scarcity is of vital importance.
• Research Motivation and Related Work: This study explores "envisioning ideal and real sociotechnical scenarios" through the lens of design fiction and Afrofuturism. By integrating co-design methods, it engages minority groups in design thinking to foster innovation and creativity within these communities.

Solution

• Method or Solution: A remote design workshop model based on co-design and speculative design fiction methods is proposed. It employs a structured design workbook to guide participants and incorporates Afrofuturism theory to address issues of gender, race, and class marginalization in the field of technological design.
• Innovation: This is the first systematic evaluation of the applicability of design fiction and Afrofuturism perspectives in minority groups within a remote participation context. It introduces a conceptual tool for "cultural marginalization" in technological design, making design methods more inclusive.
• Implementation Steps: Six online design workshops were conducted, covering foundational guidance (e.g., defining the future of civilization and technology), speculative design fiction activities (e.g., storyboarding, scenario simulation), and integration with current societal issues (e.g., exploring the representation of racial or class issues in design).

Research Outcomes

• Specific Findings: The study revealed that participants struggled to envision a future free from racial inequality and economic poverty. The utopian designs primarily focused on addressing basic resource challenges within their communities while also highlighting potential risks in technological design.
• Advantages Over Existing Solutions: Afrofuturism provides strong cultural resonance and inspires design thinking for minority groups. The remote design approach, supported by physical design workbooks, overcame barriers to digital access.
• Experimental or Evaluation Results: Participants used speculative technologies (e.g., "Magnetic Problem-Solving Rings" and "Steps of Life") to deeply reflect on the role of future technologies in their communities. The design workshops successfully fostered flexible, non-linear exploration. However, it was noted that interaction in remote participation was constrained by online meeting tools (e.g., Zoom), leading to participant dropouts.
• Limitations and Future Directions:
  • Limitations: Remote design environments cannot fully replicate face-to-face experiences. Participants were hesitant to openly share their creative thoughts. The use of only video clips and written tools may have limited creative expression.
  • Future Directions: Develop more inclusive sharing models and create design thinking methods that can span across marginalized groups. Further investigate how Afrofuturism can foster group identity and enhance design innovation through technology.

Conclusion and Contributions

This study introduces a novel remote design workshop model and uses speculative design fiction and Afrofuturism perspectives to address cultural marginalization in technological design. It makes the following methodological contributions to the field of design research:

1. Promotes Afrofuturism as an inclusive design language.
2. Uses design fiction to explore oppression within social systems and the potential roles of technology.
3. Provides tools and methods suitable for remote participation.