Black Mirror and the Power of Speculative Design

Debuting in 2011, the British sci-fi series Black Mirror immediately resonated with a large audience. It explores a wide variety of topics such as privacy, robotics, augmented reality, social media, smart homes and, more broadly, their role within society. The show presents countless “What-if?” scenarios that challenge us to consider the benefits and pitfalls that each new technology presents.

The discipline of speculative design shares many of the same goals. It is way of imagining and exploring possible futures while simultaneously providing a lens through which to see ourselves more clearly.

Join Mick Champayne and Casey Hudetz as they reflect on how designers can learn from Black Mirror’s cautionary tales and utilize speculative design to create a future in which we all want to live.