Having a strong speculative idea is only half the work. The other half is materialising it — transforming it from thought into something others can see, touch, discuss. Materialisation is not a neutral technical step: every choice of form, material and fidelity communicates something about the future and your relationship with it.
The typical path goes from low-fi to hi-fi, but completing it is not mandatory. A low-fi prototype — cardboard, paper, foam, collage — costs little, can be made in hours and invites participation. In a workshop, asking participants to complete an unfinished object produces richer conversations than presenting a perfect model. Low-fi says: "this is an open proposal, help us imagine".
Mid-fi adds credibility without requiring an industrial production budget. Printing professional labels, using real containers, applying decals, building boxes with everyday materials (jars, shoe boxes, glasses cases). Many memorable design fiction projects sit in this zone: polished enough to seem real, craft enough to remain open.
Hi-fi — 3D printing, CNC machining, working electronics, product packaging — has enormous visual impact but carries risks. An object that is too polished may be passively accepted ("how nice!" instead of "do we want this?"). Also, investing too early in hi-fi locks the idea before testing it with people. The practical rule: hi-fi only after the concept has generated useful conversation in low-fi form.
3D printing is an accessible and powerful tool, but it must be used with narrative intention. You do not need to replicate industrial perfection — you need to communicate form, scale, ergonomics. A visible print, with layers and imperfections, can be more honest than a smooth finish pretending to be a product already on the market. Combine 3D printing for structural parts with found elements (cables, LEDs, fabrics) to build convincing hybrid objects.
Regardless of technique, every diegetic prototype needs a presentation context. An object alone on a table is ambiguous; the same object with a manual, a purchase receipt and a photo of use in context becomes a story. Think of materialisation as a system: the central object, supporting media, exhibition space, facilitation that guides the conversation. This is how a concept becomes a civic tool for imagining together.