Towards a framework for stimuli in interpreting and envisioning society in collaborative design futuring

ABSTRACT: Collaborative design futuring has gained attention as an inclusive approach for envisioning future societies where external stimuli play a crucial role in stimulating imagination. Building on literature on design stimuli, psychological distance, and co-design, we propose and evaluate a five-layer framework through a multiple-case analysis of fifteen workshops and exhibitions. Through comparative analysis of different workshops, we explored how stimulus characteristics, such as modality, richness, and scenario, influence participant engagement and perceived psychological distance.