In their book Assembling Tomorrow, authors Carissa Carter and Scott Doorley from the Stanford d-school explore how to use readily accessible tools of design to both mend the mistakes of our past and shape our future for the better.

The book investigates the intangibles, the mysterious forces that contribute to the off-kilter feelings of today, and follows up with actionables to help you alter your perspective and find opportunities in these turbulent times. Mixed throughout are histories of the future, short pieces of speculative fiction that illustrate how things go haywire and what might be in store if we don’t set them straight.

AUTHORS

Carissa Carter is a designer, geoscientist, and the academic director at the Stanford d.school. She guides the development of the d.school’s pedagogy, leads its instructors, and shapes its class offerings. She is the author of The Secret Language of Maps: How to Tell Visual Stories with Data and teaches design courses on emerging technologies, climate change, and data visualization. Her work on designing with machine learning and blockchain has earned multiple design awards, including Fast Company Innovation and Core 77 Design awards.

Scott Doorley is a writer, designer, and the creative director at the Stanford d.school. He has overseen everything from books to workspaces to digital products and initiatives focused on the future of learning and design. He co-wrote the book Make Space: How to Set the Stage for Creative Collaboration and teaches courses in design communication. His work has been featured in museums from San Jose to Helsinki and in publications such as Architecture + Urbanism and the New York Times.