The Discomfort Zone

As today’s systems grow increasingly complex and interconnected, most of us feel a sense of discomfort with the shifting, often intractable, challenges they present. How will systems and machines continue to evolve and what new issues will emerge? How can we understand today’s technological anxiety in order to design for a better future?

To gain a better understanding of the potential of new technologies, we created The Discomfort Zone—a series of concepts and prototypes that explore near-future possibilities for the relationship between humans and tech. Through immersive, interactive experiences, the five Discomfort Zone prototypes demonstrate how digital products and services could augment and improve our daily lives; and how those might progress toward impact at scale.