DL148 - Certificate Speculative Design Futures

What is Speculative Design Futures?

What does the future hold for us all? Well, instead of wondering, why not design it?

The Certificate in Speculative Design Futures is a new course suitable for designers and creatives practitioners from all disciplines interested in designing a positive future for all (people and planet).

The course will equip you with futures thinking literacy and the practical speculative design skills needed to engage critically with the uncertainty and complexity of wicked problems that exist in our world today.

From the urgency of climate change, and pervasive new technologies, to the precarity of peace and the search for tolerance and inclusion, the need for creative and concrete alternative visions of our futures must be envisaged.

Our course will provide you with a set of critical thinking and making tools that will enable you to confront futures design challenges with confidence.

During the course, you will:

• Be guided through a range of futures and speculative design thinking, approaches, processes and methods as you learn about how to map time and describe future design contexts.
• Apply a range of interdisciplinary research and foresight methods to question and analyse the social, environmental, economic and political impact of predicted future trends and emerging technologies.
• Explore new ways to practice in the creation of speculative design prototypes, narratives and probes that demonstrate alterative and concrete visions of the future.

 What will I do on the course?

Course content will include:

• Introduction to Speculative Design, approaches, philosophies and case studies
  • Defining speculative goals and values
  • Scoping a speculative design futures project
  • Speculative and Critical Design principles
  • Futures research
  • Design Fiction principles
  • Mapping time and systems
  • World building
  • Emotional design
  • Experimental design prototypes
  • Participatory group exercises and charette
  • Project presentations

 How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed through class participation and two assignments:

• A group design workshop (online or in person)
• Speculative design futures project / prototype and report (independent learning 50 hours approx.)

 Dates + Times

The course will be delivered on a blended format as follows:

Are there any Materials / Equipment requirements?

You will need to have a laptop and Adobe Creative Suite.

How do I apply?

Please complete the online application form at the top of the page.

As part of the application, you will be required to provide a CV with details of:

• Education / Qualifications,
• Professional experience, and
• Creative work (e.g., a link to a portfolio website).

Fees + Scholarships

Fees for this course in 2025/2026 are €550, subsidised by the Higher Education Authority’s Human Capital Initiative.  Check your eligibility HERE

Two weeks before the start of the course, you will be asked to complete a declaration form to confirm your eligibility.

Fees for those who do not meet the eligibility criteria above are €1,100.

CFA Scholarship:

A CFA scholarship encourages the participation of learners from sections of society that are significantly under-represented in higher education by offering one free place on all of our CFA short courses.

Find out if you are eligible to apply HERE

Fill in the CFA@IADT scholarship application form HERE