ABSTRACT
As perceptions of “interaction” and computing practices have changed, a number of new methodologies and epistemological positions have been introduced into the field of human-computer interaction (HCI). Through speculative design, it is possible to investigate and solve third-wave problems in HCI that have, received significant attention. In HCI, speculative design takes various forms, including built artifacts, media experiences and artifacts, design proposals, and written design fiction, each used to imagine alternative socio-technical configurations of the world. In interaction fields, speculative artifacts appear in many forms, but few studies have examined how HCI interprets and uses artifacts for speculative purposes. The aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review of existing HCI publications that claim to use artifacts for speculative thinking. The results of the review of 124 publications provide an explanation of the definitions, forms, and functions of speculative artifacts in HCI. By integrating speculative artifacts into the type dimension, we discuss future design and research opportunities for the intersection of materiality, temporality, and practicability in interaction design and HCI.
