Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M0939

Speculative Design

Speculative Design
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Design is not about solving current problems, but about raising questions (Design for Debate). By creating objects in 'possible future worlds', it challenges assumptions of the status quo. Scaffolding role: breaking fixed mindsets. If I want to completely reinvent the banking experience, I wouldn't draw an app interface. I would design a scenario like 'if money disappeared, how would people exchange value?' This can open the door to radical innovation.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Breaking fixed mindsets. If I want to completely reinvent the banking experience, I wouldn't draw an app interface. I would design a scenario like 'if money disappeared, how would people exchange value?' This can open the door to radical innovation.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Speculative Design: using fictional but plausible future objects/situations as 'speculative props' to ask 'what if...', to explore values, ethics, and societal directions, rather than to predict.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speculative_designZH · Explicit
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