Speculative Critical Design for Alternative Futures: Challenges, Benefits, and Pedagogical Strategies in Undergraduate Curricula

This article examines integrating speculative critical design (SCD) into Korean undergraduate design education to address challenges like elitism, the exclusion of preposterous futures, neglect of real-world issues, and inadequate evaluation. By shifting students from traditional problem-solving to “preposterous thinking”, the study promotes diverse perspectives and sociocultural sustainability. A 16-week course included workshops and public exhibitions to encourage critical reflection on alternative futures. Platforms like YouTube broadened perspectives, and causal layered analysis helped students explore deeper societal issues. Public feedback and critical writing facilitated intersubjectivity, supporting iterative development of speculative scenarios and artefacts. The article shows that SCD’s challenges, such as elitism and lack of real-world relevance, can be addressed through public engagement and iterative refinement, making speculative futures more accessible and relevant. It underscores the need for SCD frameworks that explore multiple futures and demonstrates how SCD effectively engages students with sociocultural challenges in design education.