Un(real) Users: Speculative, Synthetic, & Frontier UX Research

Professional workshop series on speculative UX research methods for emerging technologies and human-AI interaction.

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The Core Distinction: WITH vs. FOR

Two complementary approaches to UX research at the edge of human and machine interaction

Workshop 1: Researching WITH Un(real) Users

Using extreme fictional personas, synthetic AI proxies, and non-human participants to stress-test assumptions, uncover system blindspots, and break design fixation.

Role of the Unreal:PARTICIPANT / PROXY
What we do:Interview them, test current products, simulate extreme users.
Strategic Purpose:Stress-test current UX architectures against extreme sensory, cognitive, environmental, or power constraints to find curb-cuts.

Workshop 2: Researching FOR Un(real) Users

Designing empirical research studies, diegetic prototypes, and testing environments aimed at emerging target entities (future humans, autonomous AI agents/AX, and extreme contexts).

Role of the Unreal:TARGET AUDIENCE / END-USER
What we do:Author speculative briefs, diegetic prototypes, and AX testbeds.
Strategic Purpose:Anticipate emerging markets, machine-to-machine commerce, autonomous agent protocols (AX), and multi-year systemic/ethical shifts.

Complementary approaches for comprehensive UX research

Who Should Attend

UX professionals seeking to expand their research methodologies for emerging technologies

UX Researchers & Designers

Learn cutting-edge methodologies to research technologies that don't yet exist or are in early adoption phases.

Product Teams

Gain insights into how users might interact with future products and AI agents before investing in development.

Innovation Leaders

Develop research strategies for emerging technologies and ethical considerations in human-AI interaction.

Delivery Formats

Choose the format that best fits your team's schedule and learning objectives

Option A: Standalone 90-Minute Intensive

Ideal for:

  • Lunch-and-learns
  • Design team sprint kickoffs
  • Conference sessions
  • Targeted skill-building workshops

• 90-minute session
• Focus on either Workshop 1 OR Workshop 2
• Immediate applicability to current projects

Option B: Half-Day Mini-Retreat (3.5 Hours)

Schedule:

  1. 00:00 - 01:30: Workshop 1 (Researching WITH)
  2. 01:30 - 01:50: Refreshment Break & Artifact Gallery Walk
  3. 01:50 - 03:20: Workshop 2 (Researching FOR)
  4. 03:20 - 03:30: Synthesis & Organizational Commitments

• Ideal for annual design team retreats
• Innovation summits
• Strategic discovery sprints

Option C: Two-Part Innovation Sprint

Timeline:

  • Week 1: Workshop 1 - Stress-test assumptions & uncover edge cases
  • In-Between: Fieldwork - Observe trends, collect data, draft product questions
  • Week 2: Workshop 2 - Build diegetic prototypes & speculative briefs

• Product squads working on generative AI
• Autonomous features
• Frontier tech
• Multi-year horizon planning

What You'll Get

Comprehensive toolkits and resources to apply learned methodologies immediately

Organizer Kit

Complete logistics, communications, facilitation guides, and evaluation toolkits for running successful workshops.

Master Logistics & Planning Guide
Communications Templates
Facilitator & Table Host Briefing
Post-Workshop Evaluation & ROI Toolkit

Workshop 1: Researching WITH Un(real) Users

Using extreme fictional personas and synthetic AI proxies to stress-test assumptions and uncover system blindspots.

Exercise 1: The Speculative Persona Canvas

Create an extreme fictional persona to test your product's limits

15 Mins

Step 1: Persona Identity & World

Define your persona's identity, ontological context, and underlying authentic human need.

Step 2: Tuning the 4 Speculative Dials
Step 3: The Fatal Constraint & Core Goal

Define your persona's non-negotiable constraint, primary goal, and fatal frustration

Step 4: The 45-Second Table Pitch

Craft a compelling narrative about your persona using the provided template.

Exercise 2: Triad Mock Interview Log

Practice interviewing your unreal user in a triad format

15 Mins

Rotation Schedule

Three 4-minute rounds where each member takes turns as researcher, unreal user, and observer

My Interview Script (When I am the Researcher)
*Probe 1:
*Probe 2:
*Probe 3:

Exercise 3: Post-Interview Synthesis & Bias Audit

Analyze your interview findings and identify biases

10 Mins

1. Fatal Usability Blindspots

Identify what broke in your product during the unreal user interviews

2. Bias, Stereotype, & Sycophancy Audit

Check for artificial politeness, lazy caricatures, and determine what real-world data would validate findings

3. The Transferable Innovation Insight (The Curb-Cut Effect)

Find design changes that work for extreme personas AND improve experience for everyday users

Exercise 4: My 14-Day Action Commitment

Commit to applying what you learned in your regular work

Ongoing

"I commit to introducing one extreme speculative persona probe into our upcoming [SPRINT/REVIEW] to stress-test our assumptions regarding [AREA OF FOCUS]."

Signed:
Date:

How to Use This Workbook

  • Complete each section during the corresponding workshop exercise
  • Work collaboratively with your triad members
  • Refer to the facilitator guidance when needed
  • Keep this workbook as a reference for your 14-day/30-day action commitments

Workshop 2: Researching FOR Un(real) Users

Designing empirical research studies and diegetic prototypes for emerging target entities like future humans and autonomous AI agents.

Exercise 1: The Speculative Research Brief

Create a comprehensive research brief for your target entity

15 Mins

Quadrant 1: Target Entity Anatomy

Define your entity's name, substrate, affordances, and motivation

Quadrant 2: Context of Use & Storyworld

Establish the time horizon, environmental realities, and key scarcities in your entity's world

Quadrant 3: The Core Research Inquiries

Formulate your primary research question and identify catastrophic failure modes to prevent

Quadrant 4: The Diegetic Provocation Probe

What artifact, screen, API endpoint, or object will you place in front of your target entity?

Exercise 2: Speculative Method Selection

Select the best method to reveal your target entity's friction points

8 Mins

Our triad commits to:
Rationale for this Method:

Explain why your chosen method best reveals your target entity's friction points

Exercise 3: The Speculative Practice Run Log

Document your speculative practice run observations

12 Mins

Triad Roles during the 8-Minute Simulation:

Assign roles for Lead Researcher/Wizard, Target Entity, and Silent Protocol & Friction Logger

Simulation Field Observations:

Document unexpected breakdowns, unexamined human assumptions, and emerging ethical/systemic risks

Exercise 4: The 3 Horizons Strategic Synthesis

Translate speculative findings into actionable business roadmaps

10 Mins

HorizonStrategic TimeframeActionable Finding / Next Step:---:---:---**Horizon 1****Now (0–12 Months)**What immediate bug, error handling gap, or mobile fragility did this reveal?**Horizon 2****Next (1–3 Years)**What machine-readable API, offline sync, or trust architecture must we prototype next year?**Horizon 3****Future (3–5 Years)**What regulatory change, privacy challenge, or societal impact will define our field?
Sample row content

Exercise 5: My Institutional Action Commitment

Commit to preparing your organization for emerging target entities

Ongoing

"I commit to authoring one Speculative Research Brief or AX Usability Standard for [TARGET AREA] to prepare our product team for the arrival of [TARGET ENTITY]."

Signed:
Date:

How to Use This Workbook

  • Complete each section during the corresponding workshop exercise
  • Work collaboratively with your triad members
  • Refer to the facilitator guidance when needed
  • Keep this workbook as a reference for your 14-day/30-day action commitments

Ready to Explore the Edge of UX Research?

Access the complete workshop toolkits and start researching the future of human-AI interaction today.

Launch Interactive WorkbookContact for Private Sessions

Workshop materials are available for immediate download. For custom implementations or private team sessions, please reach out to discuss your specific needs.