Designing Products of the Future
A course by Cecilia ThamDesigner, Maker, Entrepreneur, and Future Synthesist
A course by Cecilia Tham, Designer, Maker, Entrepreneur, and Future Synthesist
Learn to research and design dynamic and problem-solving products for a better future
“Never in the history of humanity has the world changed as quickly as it is changing now.”
In the digital age, technology is constantly shifting and evolving faster than we can process. Cecilia Tham argues that it’s in our hands to take back control of what’s to come. Cecilia is a future-driven entrepreneur whose purpose is to create scalable, impact-focused innovations. In this course, she unravels the concept of “future synthesis,” which is designing solutions for a better future.
Travel to the future and design the look and function of a problem-solving product. Think beyond the present and invent an artifact that is dynamic and meaningful. In her multidisciplinary approach combining research, design and strategy, you will garner the tools to navigate through innovative product development.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 35 downloads
Starting Point and Goal
14 minutes, 38 seconds
Futures Wheel: Mapping Out Context and Consequences
14 minutes, 37 seconds
Futures Cone: Categorizing Futures
13 minutes, 29 seconds
Components
5 minutes, 47 seconds
Detail World
7 minutes, 48 seconds
The Journey
8 minutes, 26 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin by getting to know Cecilia. With a biology degree from Emory University, and a master’s in architecture from Harvard, she has founded multiple companies like Futurity Studio, Makers of Barcelona, and her latest, All Women Tech. She shares her diverse influences and inspirations that drive her to create.
Lay out the framework for what you are going to develop. Identify a problem, explore the opportunity space, and gather the preliminary information on the topic. Explore the different layers to create a resilient and impactful product. Design your infrastructure and validate its autonomy.
The next step is forecasting, which means identifying trends, risks, opportunities and drivers. Understand what there is to know about the viability of your product. Position your item in a desirable and undesirable future to develop a strategy for potential problems.
Broaden the horizon of your product. Ask yourself where your creation will sit in the next decades. Identify your audience, their consumer behavior, and develop a hypothesis on connecting the dots. Paint the future vision of your artifact and envision its possibilities.
Learn about speculative design, and how it can redefine the way we look at product development. Cecilia dives into polarity thinking when devising your strategy. Learn to push boundaries when it comes to innovative product design.
The last step after finalizing your design is to work at making it a reality. Create a roadmap for your invention, and apply the metrics to evaluate the direction to take your creation.
What is this course's project?
Design an innovative product from start to finish, using a dossier and projection map to showcase it.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone interested in learning about innovative product design: artists, designers, engineers, entrepreneurs, strategists, inventors, or even sci-fi writers.
Requirements and materials
No specific tools or previous knowledge is necessary. You only need access to the internet for research and analysis.
Reviews
- 2 months ago
Sujet très intéressant ! Pour les curieux.
- 4 months ago
Bastante interesante la metodología que explica
- jonnathan_moraPLUS6 months ago
excelente curso
- 9 months ago
Excelente curso me permitió elaborar uno de mis primeros proyectos YAKU [AC-C] HYDRANT: BIO-ENGINEERED VEST La metodología es innovadora e integra todas las metodologías de prototipado ágil.
- 9 months ago
Excelente curso, muy novedoso e inspirador
Cecilia is the recipient of numerous awards such as the Faculty Design Award by Harvard University and Creative Entrepreneur of the Year by Creative Net. Cecilia has given talks at World Mobile Congress, Smart City Expo, IAM Fest, SHIFT Open FAD, and 4YFN, as well as four TEDx talks. She was a regular contributor to the newspaper L’Econòmic and La Roca Gallery. Cecilia participated at the Singularity University Global Solution Program for climate change at NASA Ames and she is currently an advisor for United Nation World Food Program X.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Introduction
- Influences and Topic Intro
- What Will We Do in This Course?
- U2
Mapping the Futures Space
- Starting Point and Goal
- Futures Wheel: Mapping Out Context and Consequences
- Futures Cone: Categorizing Futures
- U3
Scenario: Building Futures World
- Components
- Detail World
- The Journey
- U4
Artifact: Designing a Future Artifact
- Detailing the Feature List for Future Artifact
- Create Your Mood Board
- Zero to One. Prototype Your Artifact
- U5
Backcasting
- Roadmap and Routes
- Root Cause Analysis
- FP
Final project
- Designing Products of the Future
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Futuring is the process of exploring and shaping possible futures through structured imagination and scenario planning. This course teaches futuring using creative exercises, mapping techniques, and collaborative worldbuilding to help you envision and design actionable future scenarios.
This course is designed for learners with some familiarity or interest in creative thinking or innovation. While not strictly for beginners, no advanced prior knowledge of futures studies is required—curiosity and openness to imagination are the main prerequisites.
You’ll learn how to use imagination exercises, scenario planning, and speculative design to create, map, and analyze diverse future scenarios. The course covers worldbuilding, foresight techniques, and practical methods for designing future artifacts and environments.
You’ll need basic creative supplies such as sketching materials or digital design tools, internet access for research, and an open mind for group exercises. Some modules may suggest using online resources for mood boards or prototyping.
The course builds your skills in foresight, adaptability, and critical questioning. You’ll practice techniques to anticipate change, map consequences, and develop strategies for navigating complex and uncertain futures.
Yes, you’ll learn to integrate forecast analysis with data, including tools like STEEP and futures wheels, to assess trends and map the consequences of technological or social changes.
Absolutely. The course includes hands-on projects where you’ll design, prototype, and document speculative artifacts or future products, using creative and analytical methods for innovation.