Workshop 2: GenAI for imagination and prototyping

This masterclass explores what it means to design services that haven't yet existed — in shape or purpose. Drawing on the research and design practice of CraigWalker, participants are introduced to a creative approach to futures thinking that has been applied across banking, healthcare, infrastructure, and retail.

What you will get

The session is structured around CraigWalker's three-step approach: Research, Define, Design. Rather than predicting the future, the workshop develops the skill of understanding enough about technology, policy, community, and environment to recognise what new services might be required — and what could realistically be built.

Participants work through this approach using real-world design briefs drawn from five of today's most significant societal shifts. A Claude AI model is embedded throughout as a thinking partner — helping accelerate research, stress-test frameworks, and push ideas further.

They will leave with practical tools and frameworks to take back to their own practice including how to use AI as a thinking partner in their design approach.

Workshop facilitators

• Jeremy Walker: www.craigwalker.com.au

• Dr Linus Tan: www.linustan.com | Swinburne University of Technology

Workshop series

This workshop is part of the Melbourne Design Week 2026 event, Future Services Studio: Imagining the Next Chapter of Australian Design Products and Services. There are two other workshop and a panel discussion at the same location, in this event series:

• Workshop 1, 10am to 12pm: GenAI for design exploration and speculation (Midjourney)

• Workshop 3, 3.30pm to 5.30pm: GenAI in Design workflow masterclass (ComfyUI)

• Panel Discussion, 6pm to 7pm: Future Australian Designs and Services

For questions, group workshop at other times, and customised training, please contact Linus at linustan@swin.edu.au.