Have you heard about what Chick-fil-A is doing to innovate now? The company is reimagining the drive-thru experience with an elevated design that addresses customer demand in a whole new way. This speculative design approach allows them to think beyond current limitations and create solutions for tomorrow. It’s more than just efficiency—it’s about envisioning a future that isn’t here yet and bringing it to life.
Now imagine if our students were the ones leading this kind of future-focused innovation. What if they were designing solutions that could reshape industries, solve global problems, and impact lives for Christ? That’s where speculative design comes in—a creative process that invites students to imagine, experiment, and create alternative futures.
You can check out Chick-fil-A’s latest innovation here: Chick-fil-A’s Elevated Drive-Thru Concept.
What Is Speculative Design?
Speculative design encourages students to think beyond current realities, asking “What if?” and exploring possibilities that don’t yet exist. It goes beyond solving today’s problems by encouraging students to imagine what the world could look like in the future and then design potential solutions to meet those challenges.
This type of forward-thinking creativity is already making waves in industries like technology, architecture, and business. Chick-fil-A’s elevated drive-thru is a perfect example of speculative design in action, showing how creative thinking can lead to innovative solutions. But speculative design isn’t limited to corporations—our classrooms can be a breeding ground for this kind of imaginative problem-solving too.
A Framework for Speculative Design
How does speculative design work? Here’s a simple framework:
1. Problem Framing: Identify a speculative scenario that challenges students to think about future possibilities.
2. Research: Investigate current trends, technologies, and societal dynamics that could influence these scenarios.
3. Ideation: Brainstorm creative solutions, products, or systems that address the speculative challenges.
4. Prototyping: Develop tangible representations of these ideas through models, sketches, or digital simulations.
5. Reflection: Critique and evaluate the designs, considering how they align with Christian values and the practical impact they could have.
This approach teaches students to merge creativity with critical thinking, preparing them for a world that demands both.
Speculative Design at NCCS: An Invitation to Innovate
At NCCS, we believe speculative design can transform the way our students learn and engage with the world. Our strategic plan calls for increased innovation and inquiry in the classroom, and we aspire to introduce more of this kind of future-focused learning. Imagine students designing solutions for tomorrow’s challenges, whether that’s ethical technology use, helping the vulnerable, or ensuring access to clean resources—all framed within a biblical worldview that honors God as the ultimate Creator.
Real-world, authentic performance tasks like these equip students with the skills that are in high demand today—creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Research from Stanford University’s d.school shows that students who engage in project-based learning improve in these areas, better preparing them for the challenges of the global marketplace.
And these are more than just academic skills—they are a reflection of the biblical calling to use our talents wisely. As Jesus said in the Parable of the Talents, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things” (Matthew 25:21). We are called to multiply our God-given talents for His glory.
The Call to Innovate
NCCS is on a journey to incorporate speculative design into our classrooms, and we invite you to join us in this challenge. How can we prepare our students to design the future, using their creativity to solve real-world problems while impacting culture for Christ?
Comment below with your thoughts on how speculative design could shape education at NCCS. Let’s imagine and create the future together, equipping students to honor God and serve others in bold and innovative ways.