First Futures: An Introduction to Futures Design
In today’s world, many see the future as a straight line—but it’s more like a living, evolving organism, shaped by every choice we make. There isn’t just one future; there are infinite possible futures.
First Futures is a free, 4-hour virtual workshop designed to democratise futures design and make it accessible to everyone. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, this session will guide you through the tools and techniques needed to imagine and shape alternative futures. Delivered via FigJam, it includes six core exercises that will challenge you to explore possibilities, critique ideas, design speculative products and services, and create future artefacts that disrupt the status quo.
At StudioCone, we believe futures design should be accessible to all—not just experts. That’s why this workshop is free. If you’d like to support us in creating more resources and opportunities for collective imagining, contributions are welcome. Together, let’s design conscious and equitable futures.
Why First Futures?
- 💻 Perfect for exploring infinite futures—solo or with friends
- 🌍 Built on inclusivity and radical imagination
- 🤝 Free forever (but contributions are welcome!)
This Workshop Will Help You:
- 🔮 Explore infinite possibilities
- 🔬 Critique and deconstruct ideas
- 🛸 Design speculative products and services
- 💡 Create future artefacts that challenge the status quo
What’s Included:
- Interactive FigJam workshop board
- Step-by-step guidance for every exercise
- Pro tips to improve your futures design practice
- A complete example thread woven throughout the exercises
Workshop Structure:
- Intros & Icebreaker (15 min)
- Starting Point (30 min)
- Futures Wheel (30 min)
- Futures Cone (30 min)
- Speculative Design (40 min)
- Design Fiction (40 min)
- Strategic Opportunities (30 min)
- Final Thoughts (10 min)
Ideal For:
- Designers
- Innovation and strategy teams
- Educators and students
- Futurists and foresight practitioners
- Anyone curious about exploring the future
How To Use:
- Go to figma.com in your browser or download the Figma app.
- Log in or create a free account.
- Drag and drop the workshop file into Figma, or click File > Import to upload it.
License:
© 2025 StudioCone
Single-use license for personal or classroom use only.
For commercial workshop facilitation, contact us at cone@studiocone.com for licensing details.
Terms of Use:
- Restricted Use: These materials are provided solely for personal or educational purposes. You are not permitted to use them, in whole or in part, for training, developing, enhancing, or creating artificial intelligence (AI) models or algorithms without StudioCone’s express written consent.
- Intellectual Property: All materials are the exclusive intellectual property of StudioCone. Reproduction, distribution, or transmission without authorisation is strictly prohibited.