This article investigates the relationship between physical and digital design processes and advocates for workflows in which the material approach informs the computational processes. It positions sketching and prototyping as vital counterbalances to screen-driven design, arguing that they nurture intuitive creativity and reduce uniformity. The article frames analogue tools as active participants in post-digital practice and calls designers to take action to reclaim the senses in order to achieve designs that are richer and more centred on human needs.

Speculative design offers an important lens for designers to reimagine economies, politics, and social systems beyond the constraints of current commercial fabrics. Prominent institutions like Parsons School of Design actively explore this forward-looking approach in their teaching, enabling designers to question moral and hypothetical scenarios while envisioning futures that prioritize social equity, environmental sustainability, and human well-being.