Beyond ready-made solutions - design as a practice of critical questioning

In a time of converging crises, how can design education cultivate hope? Led by Anab Jain, head of the department of Design Investigations at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, this book presents a curiosity-led, investigative approach by equipping students with speculative practices, worldbuilding, material engagement and storytelling to address complex issues from the climate crisis to technological acceleration. Rather than rushing to solutions, such a method nurtures the ability to design questions, an essential skill today. Structured around key reflective questions, it invites interdisciplinary collaboration to shape different futures with imagination, care and joy.