Science Fiction & Technological Innovation Masterclass (Envisioning @ UNESCO Futures Literacy Summit):

Science fiction is both an artistic genre and an inspiration for futures literacy as well as technological innovation. In this Masterclass, we presented some of the opportunities that science fiction offers for individuals and organizations to thrive on disruption based on actual cases and proposed methodologies.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
07:59 - Prototyping "What If?" -- Why use science fiction
21:10 - Science fiction as a platform for Ethics
25:21 - Design fiction & futures narratives
32:04 - Science fiction until science fact: Case Studies
42:25 - Closing remarks
47:35 - Q&A

This Masterclass on Science Fiction & Technological Innovation was part of Envisioning’s impressive line-up of sessions for UNESCO’s Futures Literacy Summit in December 2020. UNESCO member states, organizations, and private sector businesses worldwide expressed their commitment to the development of futures literacy as an essential competency for the 21st Century.

This Masterclass is based on the foundational article by Lidia Zuin and Roger Spitz in INC. (2020) - "How Science Fiction Can Help Chart Your Company's Path Forward - When reality flips upside down, SF can accelerate innovation":
- https://www.inc.com/roger-spitz-lidia-zuin/how-science-fiction-can-accelerate-innovation-foryour-company.html

You can also read the following article by Roger and Lidia where Foresight meets Science Fiction and Design Thinking:

* FAST Co "How to use ‘design fiction’ to spark innovation (A five-phase design fiction process that breaks boundaries and opens the doors to serendipity)":
- https://www.fastcompany.com/90819223/design-fiction-spark-innovation

The Disruptive Futures Institute has a dedicated practice on Science Fiction, Technology Innovation & Ethical Foresight including:
- Science fiction writing, narrative creation, and creative content
- Cultural and ethical implications of emerging technologies
- Science fiction and strategic narrative to imagine transformative futures
- Evolving Human-Machine relationships in crafting science fiction or science fact
- Foresight and trends research in emergent technologies and consumer behavior
- Collaborations on technology innovation, science, ethics and foresight, for science fiction movies, documentaries and series.

The future can seem far away, which makes it difficult to comprehend. Through our design fiction workshops, we use discontinuous futures to our advantage:
- Invent the future and imagine new possibilities.
- Use science fiction to craft narratives, harness transformative innovation, and drive disruption.
- Prompt imagination and inspiration.
- Reframe perceptions for unconstrained product and idea exploration.
- Prototype pathways to envisioned futures.
- Suspend disbelief and inspire innovation beyond pre-existing biases and constraints.

By asking ourselves “What if?” and breaking down the walls of our assumptions, we can expand our horizons and put the impossible on the map.

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You can check out all Envisioning’s (https://www.envisioning.io/) sessions during UNESCO’s Futures Literacy Summit here: https://www.youtube.com/user/envisioningtech.

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Masterclass Hosts:

Lidia Zuin is a Brazilian journalist, futurology researcher, professor, and speaker. She holds a MA in Semiotics and is currently a PhD candidate in Arts. Lidia publishes a quarterly column about culture, technology and science fiction. Besides being a sci-fi writer, she has also presented two TEDx talks in Brazil and teaches at Istituto Europeo di Design. Lidia is a Senior Foresight Researcher & Chair of Center for Science Fiction at the Disruptive Futures Institute, and proposes the use of methodologies such as design fiction, as well as frameworks assessing the ethics of technology through the creation of future scenarios.

Roger Spitz is the founder of Techistential (Foresight Strategy) and Disruptive Futures Institute (Think Tank), based in San Francisco. Techistential's renowned Board, Governance & Investor practice works with leaders globally to capitalize on disruption as a springboard to drive value. Roger has spent two decades advising CEOs, founders, boards and shareholders of companies worldwide on Technology Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Strategic Investments and future-proofing their business.

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