Methodological Application of Future Envisioning: A Speculative Design Case Study in an Organisational Context

Background : Speculative design, and specifically future envisioning, has been explored as a way for organisations to engage with diverse futures when addressing complex, wicked problems. However, its methodological application within organisational contexts remains underexplored, partly due to a lack of clarity and guidance on how future envisioning can be conducted in a structured, rigorous, and accessible way.Methods : This paper explores the methodological application of future envisioning through a research partnership with the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), focusing on the wicked problem of inclusive urban mobility. This study draws on the first two phases of the Inverted Double Diamond framework, a speculative design process model: the Select phase, which narrows the scope of inquiry; and the Explore phase, which generates diverse and imaginative futures. The study is a participatory case study involving twelve participants experiencing physical mobility impairments who were recruited through established organisational networks. Through a participatory approach that prioritised lived experience, qualitative data were collected through workshop activities, including journey mapping, scenario building, future brainstorming, and group discussions. The data were analysed thematically to support a methodological examination of how future envisioning can be applied within an organisational context.Results : The application of the Select and Explore phases of the Inverted Double Diamond framework demonstrates how future envisioning can be structured methodologically to support engagement with wicked problems in organisational contexts. The findings illustrate how methodological choices, such as participant-driven focus and the sequencing of convergent and divergent cognitive modes, shape the kinds of insights generated and engage with the complexity of wicked problems in organisational settings.Conclusions : This paper contributes to the growing discourse on speculative design in organisations by articulating a structured and participatory approach to future envisioning through the application of the first two phases of the Inverted Double Diamond framework. The Select and Explore phases enable the surfacing of insights grounded in lived experience, providing a rigorous scaffold for organisations to navigate the ambiguity of wicked problems. The framework provides an accessible entry point for organisations seeking to move beyond predictive approaches and to engage more reflectively and imaginatively with uncertainty and complexity.