Generating Visions - Future Workshops and Metaphorical Design

Summary

Kensing and Madsen argue that system design methods give too little support to users and designers in jointly generating visions for future computer use. They propose combining Future Workshops with metaphorical design so users can critique current work, imagine alternatives, and develop implementation strategies in everyday language. A library scenario shows how metaphors such as warehouse, store, and meeting place can reframe computer systems from inventory control toward service, communication, and user-driven change.

Important Keywords

• Future Workshops: a participatory method in which users critique current conditions, imagine alternatives, and plan realization.
• Metaphorical design: using metaphors to reframe future computer use in terms users can understand and develop.
• User-designer cooperation: collaborative work where users and designers jointly generate visions for future systems.
• System goals: desired future functions and qualities developed through participatory visioning.
• Critique phase: the workshop phase where participants identify problems with current work or systems.
• Fantasy phase: the phase where participants imagine ideal alternatives without immediate practical constraints.
• Implementation phase: the phase where visions are translated into possible actions and design directions.
• Everyday language: nontechnical language that lets users participate in system visioning.
• Workplace visions: imagined future ways of working with computer support.

• Library computerization: the case context used to show future workshops and metaphorical design.

• Critique phase: structured articulation of problems and dissatisfaction.

• Fantasy phase: imaginative exploration of ideal alternatives.
• Realization phase: translation of visions into feasible proposals.
• Participatory visioning: involving stakeholders in imagining future possibilities.

Important Concepts

• Generating visions: Design should explicitly support users and designers in imagining future work situations, not only analyzing current tasks or technical requirements.
• Future Workshop phases: The Critique phase surfaces current problems, the Fantasy phase encourages unrestricted alternatives, and the Implementation phase evaluates and plans how visions might be realized.
• Metaphors as design tools: Talking about one domain in terms of another helps participants highlight and hide different aspects of work, making new system possibilities visible.
• User-driven design: The approach focuses on actual users, their work language, and their needs, giving them an active role in defining system goals.

• Organizational understanding: Facilitating workshops and working with metaphors can help designers grasp how users envision their workplace, including social and organizational change.

• Future Workshops are participatory ideation methods for moving from problems to visions and possible implementation.

• The three phases are critique, fantasy, and realization/implementation.
• The critique phase identifies frustrations, problems, and constraints in the current situation.
• The fantasy phase suspends practical constraints to imagine desirable alternatives.
• The realization phase translates selected visions into plausible concepts, actions, or design directions.
• The method is useful when design should be co-creative and problem-focused rather than designer-led only.

Examples

• In the library scenario, the warehouse metaphor emphasized stock, orders, revision, accession, and keeping track of books, aligning with DMK's existing systems.
• The store metaphor shifted attention from stored books to borrowers as customers and to service quality.
• The meeting place metaphor led participants to imagine systems that support conversations, including a new book catalogue and an electronic bulletin board.
• Fantasy phase statements included access to the library from home, direct contact with authors, reading groups, review databases, and better self-service support.