Imagination workshops: An empirical exploration of SFP for technology-based business innovation

•A modified evolutionary model of the Science Fiction Prototyping creation process (cyclic SFP), based around a set of feedback loops in the form of an iterative evolutionary co-creative process is proposed.•A tool, “The Imagination Workshop”, which business people can use to drive near and far term product innovation, futuristic business and entrepreneurship, is proposed.•Two exemplars describing how the SFP methodology has been applied to business innovation and entrepreneurship are provided.

This article explores the potential use of Science Fiction Prototypes (SFPs) as a vehicle to promote creative thinking and innovation in the business and technology development process. In particular, the paper describes a tool, “The Imagination Workshop”, which business people can use to drive near and far term product innovation, futuristic business and entrepreneurship. A key contribution of this article is the use of a modified evolutionary model of the Science Fiction Prototyping creation process (cyclic SFP), which, instead of being linear process (as in earlier approaches), is based around a set of feedback loops in the form of an iterative evolutionary co-creative process. In addition, the paper describes how the SFP methodology has been applied to business innovation and entrepreneurship in two small UK companies. Finally, it reflects on the strengths and weaknesses of these methods from a business perspective.