What future do we want to create? How can we get there together?

What is Cards for the Future?

Cards for the Future encourages people to think about positive visions of technology and society through play. Every day of the DIF2020 Festival a new round will be played with opportunities to pitch your idea for the future! Grab a coffee and tune in at 9.30 am for the daily draw from the deck for the 'scenario of the day'.

Why a game?

We’re used to the future being presented to us as bleak, from global warming to increasing economic inequality. But another future is possible - one where technology is used to tackle the challenges of the years to come, and where it unites us rather than divides us. And how better to imagine that future than through play and games!

Who’s playing?

Lead by Kelly Hutchinson, Founder of DSI4AU, and Deputy Chair of the Pearcey Foundation and champion of digital social innovation. Over ten days this open innovation experiment will see players co-create a sociotechnical imaginary. A crowdsourced vision of desirable futures where humanity shapes technology.

The Rules of the Game

The objective of the game is to imagine inspiring, positive ideas for objects and concepts from the future. These are inspired by a scenario, which is shaped collectively through 'prompt cards'.

1. The players…

An open invite for players from all areas of business, government, community, and research. This is to foster the quadruple helix approach to innovation where all perspectives co-create the shared vision for the future. 2-6 players selected each day.

There's also the option to play anonymously - ‘Player X’. By choosing this option, you can turn your camera & audio off during the game. Alternatively, you can just turn your camera off and keep your audio on. We want to make this a safe space to share ideas and understand that not everyone is comfortable speaking on Zoom. Contact the team to arrange.

2. The deal…

The dealer draws 3 prompt cards vision + object + topic card to outline the kinds of future that the ‘thing-to-be-imagined’ comes from, what it is, and what it is related to. Players then imagine and write about their idea inspired by the scenario.

3. The scenario...

In a future that is...vision card describes the type of future in which the scenario takes place.
There is a...object card describes the main 'thing' that needs to be imagined.
Related to...topic card describes the topic areas, context or theme for the idea.

4. The idea...

What is it? Describe the thing
Players have 3 minutes to imagine and write about their idea inspired by the scenario
Ideas are written in the chat for all to see

5. The pitch…

Each player has 3 minutes to pitch their idea to the crowd
The crowd vote for the idea they find most inspiring
That day's round is done...

6. The bonus round…

Each day’s scenario is posted on DSI4AU social media for people to add their ideas
The individual ideas Trello as inspiration for others to vote
Then the following day before the next game begins, we do a recap and we go back to Step 1 and do it all again!

ACKNOWLEDGMENT: 'Cards for the Future' was developed as part of the DSI4EU project by Nesta UK, based on Situation Lab’s 'The Thing from the Future'. The game has been adapted to an online format by DSI4AU. The game is published under a Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
IMAGE: Hosier Lane, Melbourne, September 2015. Kelly Hutchinson. "For peace and love, please make a message of hope."