Fostering Creative Confidence: Reframing Ambiguity Through Storytelling and Design Fiction

As part of my ongoing work, I have developed a workshop that empowers students from various disciplines to build ‘creative confidence’ through storytelling and by reframing ambiguity in ways that foster excitement and joy in learning. This workshop, within the context of Design Thinking education, helps students view ambiguity as an opportunity for innovation rather than discomfort. I will discuss how design fiction—a method that creates story worlds in which prototypes explore discursive spaces—facilitates this shift. Participants redesign everyday objects to reflect future scenarios or alternate realities, imagining futures that encompass technological, social, and cultural narratives. With prompts, collaborative prototyping, and reflective discussion, the workshop fosters creativity, risk-taking, and comfort with ambiguity across various fields.

Presenter Bio

Fatima Nazir (she/her) has a multidisciplinary background in applied psychology and human behaviour and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Engineering Design (Product Design). Passionate about storytelling and human-centered design, her work in research, design, and collaborative projects aims to create inclusive spaces that place people’s stories at the heart of product decisions. Her work spans from reimagining learning experiences and fostering creativity in education to advancing co-design practices in engineering and healthcare to address systemic challenges and improve outcomes.

Presentation Recording

Coming soon.

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