Episode 8 - Augmented Realities, Design Fiction and Content with Heather Snyder Quinn

How can designers leverage content as a vehicle for social change? What legal ramifications will proceed from new forms of content like Augmented Reality and the Metaverse? These are just some of the questions Heather Snyder Quinn is asking. In this episode, Kevin sits down with Heather to inquire about her work on her project “Mariah: Acts of Resistance”. “Mariah”, co-designed by Adam DelMarcelle, tells the story of a young woman who overdosed on heroin that viewers experience as they tour the Sackler wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. They do this by holding up their cell phones to artifacts procured by the Sackler family, viewing pieces of Mariah’s story via the augmented reality app that Heather designed. Kevin and Heather talk about how art responds to authority before delving into the topics of speculative design and design fiction. Their conversation leads to further discussions around the future of freedom of speech, the power of Big Tech in modern society, and the impact the Metaverse and other emerging technologies will have on our conception of reality.    

Heather is usually where she “isn’t supposed to be.” You will find her playing in unexpected places, physical or virtual, and collaborating with people from an array of backgrounds. She uses design fiction to empower communities to imagine possible futures and understand technology’s impact on human freedoms. Yale Law School, The World Economic Forum, MIT Press, The Washington Post, Hyperallergic, and NASA have recognized her work. Dedicated to improving society through the field of design, she serves as Director of Design Futures for Design Incubation, Co-chair of Speculative Futures Chicago, and was previously co-chair for AIGA Chicago’s Women Lead. She is an Assistant Professor of Design Futures at Washington University in Saint Louis, Director of the Parallel Futures Lab, and mother of two daughters.  

Heather’s Info: 

Heather’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathersnyderquinn/  

Heather’s Email: heathersnyderquinn@gmail.com   

Kevin's Info:  

Kevin's Website and Blog: https://bit.ly/3in284l

Kevin's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3jhscNG

Kevin's Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3xn9SHG

AvenueCX Website: https://bit.ly/3lsSFdR

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