The highly complex and intersectional issues we continue to face call for collective and imaginative efforts. However, we seem to lack this collective imaginative power; a  ‘poverty of the imagination’ could be declared (Ghosh, 2016). Designers, as agents of public imagination, can combat this poverty (Farias et al., 2022). They can both initiate and inspire change, but, more importantly, facilitate the intrapersonal and interpersonal reflections and connections needed to realise systemic change.

People’s faith in the intentions and responsible actions of Big Tech and governments related to communication, expression, and privacy is deteriorating (Amnesty International Netherlands, 2022; Bazzi, 2025; Calvin et al., 2025; Kharpal, 2021; Sawers, 2016, 2025). As of now, the emphasis is on technological innovation and advancement. However, I believe social innovation, democratisation of change and policymaking, and more participatory practices hold a greater value in addressing societal problems such as the climate crisis, human rights violations, and Big Tech’s unchecked power.

Such complex societal problems often evolve quickly and unexpectedly, thus requiring ways of working that reflect and adapt to these changes. Open-endedness, flexibility and reflexivity are central to this Minor Key approach as defined by Ingold (2017). These properties are often inherent to design processes. Therefore, designers are well placed to bring this competence to others. Rather than seeking fixed solutions, we should aim for continuous, adaptive, and situated resolutions that are directed at and stem from both individual changes and collaborations. Approaches like Speculative Design can engage and inspire people from different disciplines, cultures and interests to collectively and critically reflect on and imagine futures or alternatives (Iaconesi, 2019). Developing a sensitivity to the nuance between ridiculous and provocative, yet familiar and realistic, is essential when creating design narratives and experiential alternatives central to this approach.

I strive to combine these qualities of Speculative Design with Social Design practices to deepen reflection, imagination, collaboration, and application to participants’ own practices or range of impact. Empowering people to better their practices and connecting them to work towards the systemic change that is needed for the future of our society and world.  I believe settings and organisations, such as governments, public institutions, and NGOs like Amnesty International, could greatly benefit from such interventions. Ultimately, I aim to bring my speculative social design power to the United Nations to trigger and support imagination and collaboration on a worldwide scale.