Speculative futures: brief

As we begin to approach the end of this course it’s time to think about the future. Ultimately, the creation of gender-inclusive technologies leads to more equitable futures for everyone, however, it can be difficult at times to imagine futures where such technologies exist. For your first peer graded assignment in this Expert Track, we’d like you to write about a potential future for gender-inclusive technologies.

Across weeks 1 and 2 of the course we introduced you to some key concepts that we’d like you to incorporate into your assessment, so let’s take a brief look back:

Intersectionality

You explored this concept as a way of understanding power relations surrounding peoples identity and why working with an intersectional lens is so important in designing gender-inclusive technologies.

Centring joy

Cami and Hera talked to you about why when we are designing technologies, it’s important to consider whether they meet a meaningful need and whether they are making a positive impact in the world.

Participatory design

We introduced you to the concept of participatory design as a methodology for not only designing for a group of people but designing with them.

Assignment brief:

Speculating about our futures is one of the ways we can create new ideas that help us re-imagine our present. So using the concepts mentioned above to ground your ideas, we would like you to propose a potential future for gender-inclusive technologies. This is your future so you get to decide what it looks like. Be as creative as you want. You can propose an entirely new technology or build upon an existing one.

Assignment Requirements.

This assignment is split into 4 tasks, in the submission step you will see prompts to submit 4 different tasks.

Task prompt 1: Who are you designing for?

Task prompt 2: Why have you chosen to design for this group?

Task prompt 3: What is your proposal?

Task prompt 4: What would the impact of this technology be?

Each task has a maximum of two points available which are detailed below. You will use the same criteria to grade your peers work. Spelling and grammar are not part of the marking criteria.

Task prompt 1: Who are you designing for?

Summarise in 50 words or less who you are designing for.

There is a maximum of two points for this task:

• (1 points) – Clearly summarises who you are designing for.
• ( point) – Partially summarise who you are designing for.
• (0 points) – Missing or incomplete.

Task prompt 2: Why have you chosen to design for this group?

Summarise in 150 words or less why you choose this group of people to design for.

There is a maximum of two points for this task:

• (2 points) – Clearly summarise why you chose to design for this group of people.
• (1 point) – Partially summarise why you chose to design for this group of people.
• (0 points) – Missing or incomplete.

Task Prompt 3: What is your proposal?

As part of your speculative future summarise in 150 words or less your proposal for a gender-inclusive technology.

There is a maximum of two points for this task:

• (2 points) – Your proposal is clearly thought out and realised.
• (1 point) – Your proposal is partially thought and not fully realised.
• (0 points) – Missing or incomplete.

Task prompt 4: What would the impact of this technology be?

Summarise in 150 words how your proposal would positively impact the people you are designing for.

There is a maximum of two points for this task:

• (2 points) – Clearly summarises the impact of your proposal.
• (1 point) – Partially summarise the impact of your proposal.
• (0 Points) – Missing or incomplete.

Continue to the next step to begin your assignment.