This article discusses the possibilities enabled by design ethnography cards which combine images and text to disseminate ethnographic insights and prompt stakeholder ideation in interdisciplinary applied research. In doing so, we draw on the example of a 58 card deck developed to be used in design ethnography workshops in Monash University in Victoria, Australia, within a project which combines design anthropological and transition management approaches to examine new pathways to net zero at the precinct level. This article details how the cards were developed using ethnographic quotes, video stills and photography, with the purpose of bringing ethnographic findings into the workshops, to engage stakeholders in a dialogic and collaborative visioning exercise. The purpose of creating and using the cards was twofold. First we sought to trouble common assumptions and to immerse stakeholders in the everyday experiences in the precinct as surfaced through our ethnography. Second, they served as prompts for creative inspiration and assisted in the ideation of sustainability experiments. This article contributes to the discourse on applying visual ethnographic methodologies, showcasing the successful integration of design cards to deepen stakeholder understanding and stimulate innovative thinking in the Net Zero Precincts project.