Mediated Scenarios: The Infusion of Art and Design in Scenario Practices

Applied and theoretical research into novel foresight methods is pushing forward to considerhow art and design are relevant, and perhaps even necessary, for effective interventions. Taking the governance of emerging energy technologies as a focal area, this preliminary research for aMarie Curie Fellowship investigates scenarios mediated through cutting-edge gaming,visualization, simulation and design techniques. The focus on mediated practices of foresight pushes beyond an infusion of art and design into scenarios in an instrumental way, making moreaesthetically palatable futures. Rather what I call ‘mediated scenarios’ refers to an emergingparadigm of foresight that values data rich, intimate, and participative practices. Thiscombination of features distinguishes these novel forms from traditional foresight methods thatfocus on probabilities rather than plausibilities (Selin & Ramirez 2014), often fail to meaningfullyconnect with the situation, decision-makers or concerns at hand, and tend to lean towardsexperts. Some of these new mediated practices shift away from more technocratic models ofparticipation that often display an impoverish understanding of the co-production of technologyand society.