Exploring a sociology of now-ness.
We are an independent research institute for design, culture and technology.
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Synthetic cultures
Real-world data, by hybrid imaginations
Changemakers
need to step up in the way we understand our relationship with technology.
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Product-centric unsustainable practices, harmful to environments and individuals.
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We plunged fearlessly into post-phenomenology, sociology, power relations, strategic and systemic design — to offer a practical and end-to-end approach, applicable to real research and design work.
This is an opportunity for professionals to become full-stack, global thinkers and masters of the way we experience technology.
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A researcher, designer or entrepreneur who only looks into simple problem-solving may create more harm than good.
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Responsible, knowledgeable and attentive to what is seen and unseen — and ready to create a more self-aware future for ourselves.
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The approach includes practical step-by-step methodologies for systemic design, strategic design and service design research:
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Easy-to-use frameworks to study technological experiences and its effects
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Easy-to-use frameworks to apply systemic design to the study of culture and technology
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Practical models for strategy and market research, including market and ecosystem analysis, systemic design analysis and more
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Speculative design galleries for empathy and inspiration
The cultures
Each synthetic culture was aggregated by machine algorithms, clustered by social, cultural and economical affinities.
Images generated in MidJourney. The median values are approximate and calculated based on available data. Due to variations in data sources, the median values may not be precise. However, they do provide a general overview of the socioeconomic and cultural profiles for each cluster.
The Terracrux Federation
Emerging economies with moderate freedoms
Data aggregation
Brazil, Colombia, Russia, India, Turkey, South Africa
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Population
2.5 billion
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Spoken languages
Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Hindi, Turkish, etc.
Economic activities
Manufacturing, agriculture, services, technology, natural resources
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Economic indicators
GDP $1.5 trillion
Median per capita income $12,000
Median HDI 0.74
Median freedom of press rank 70
Median gender equality rank 60
The complete reports
Reports on each culture include a complete framework for culture and technology analysis, strategy development and numerous speculative galleries.
Synthetic Tropic
PDF / Softcover, 12.5 x 18.0 cm, 0.53 kg, 276 pages
With real-world data aggregated from emerging democracies with limited freedoms, Synthetic Tropic speculates the fiction of Terracrux, a tropical federation with characteristics of Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, Mexico and other similar countries.
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Understanding experience and technology Includes a complete framework and research guide to understand culture, needs, power relations, experience and technology — a valuable addition to any designer's skills.
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Designing strategy Practical examples for using market indicators, business ecosystems and lean approaches for strategic work — like real consultants practice, but along the dystopian timeline of this fictional nation.
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Speculative immersion With a vibrant gallery of life-like characters, to a wildly imaginative showcase of local innovations, Synthetic Tropic is an exciting immersive journey through strategy, speculation and the design craft.
An immersive dive into Synthetic Tropic
Follow the day-to-day of Terracrux on Instagram
Archipelagos
Speculative and strategic design in uniquely prosperous nations
by AI-Human imaginations
Archipelagos
PDF / Softcover, 12.5 x 18.0 cm, 0.56 kg, 298 pages
Aggregated data from culturally unique nations, which in one way or another stand out: these islands of peculiarity were inspired by the Netherlands, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Iceland and more. Comparing and contrasting these aggregations, we wonder the jobs to be done when everything has already been thought of.
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Understanding experience and technology Includes a complete framework and research guide to understand culture, needs, power relations, experience and technology — a valuable addition to any designer's skills.
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Designing strategy Practical examples for using market indicators, business ecosystems and lean approaches for strategic work — like real consultants practice, but along the dystopian timeline of this fictional nation.
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Speculative immersion With a vibrant gallery of life-like characters, to a wildly imaginative showcase of local innovations, Synthetic Tropic is an exciting immersive journey through strategy, speculation and the design craft.
Regimes
Speculative design in high-growth authoritarian systems
by Human-AI imaginations
Regimes
PDF / Softcover, 12.5 x 18.0 cm, 0.56 kg, 180 pages
Selected by artificial intelligence, these regimes display impressive economical growth and limited freedoms for civilians. Here we wonder the pains, opportunities and intricacies of 1.5 billion people living in these cultural systems.
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Understanding experience and technology Includes a complete framework and research guide to understand culture, needs, power relations, experience and technology — a valuable addition to any designer's skills.
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Designing strategy Practical examples for using market indicators, business ecosystems and lean approaches for strategic work — like real consultants practice, but along the dystopian timeline of this fictional nation.
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Speculative immersion With a vibrant gallery of life-like characters, to a wildly imaginative showcase of local innovations, Synthetic Tropic is an exciting immersive journey through strategy, speculation and the design craft.
Values we live by
Validated cultural and market studies
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Credibility We work with validated references of cultural trends and market drivers
Brief and meaningful
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Brevity We keep it simple, but not too simple. Axios' smart brevity is a compass for respecting your time and purpose
A self-aware society​
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Social impact Our projects contribute to more self-aware and integrated society
Made for real-life challenges
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Applicability Real-world consulting frameworks to develop your own strategic approach — and make real impact in the world
Diversity is a strategy​
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Diversity by default Multiple communities contributing bring vibrant outcomes to content. We strive to avoid current structures of power
Speculative and strategic thinking
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Imagination Speculative scenarios are combined with the latest AI models, to give you that brain itch that gets things going
Human-AI collaborative
Hybrid embrace We don't repel, but mindfully embrace the hybrid of A.I. imagination and human creativity