Methodology for HCI evaluations of possible futures

Human-computer interaction (HCI) research possesses an ability to critically consider possible futures: with interactive prototypes and their empirical evaluation, futures can be evaluated in situ with human participants. However, HCI methodology has not deeply reflected on this future orientation. However, future studies and foresight research has decades of experience on a wide range of systemic forecasting methods. In this project, we will integrate future foresight methods into three stages of HCI evaluation: 1) to envisioning of societally important possible futures; 2) to systemic holistic enriching of future visions, and 3) to projecting empirical evaluation findings to possible futures. We will develop these methods within a scope of wearable computing prototyping, climate change and extreme weather conditions. With these activities, our project reconceptualizes HCI evaluations' future orientation and offers methods to consider possible futures of higher societal impact.