Futures Thinking in Practise
This is a brief introductory guide to futures thinking, key concepts and skills, and tools and resources.
Introduction to Futurism
What is Futurism?
Futurism is not about predicting the future but understanding the forces shaping it and exploring various possibilities.
Who are the Futurists?
Futurists can be professionals who work at Universities or think tanks, or individualswho incorporate futures thinking into their work in various fields, such as business, education, art, fiction, science, and activism.
Why is Futurism Important?
- Increased creativity and innovation
- Better preparedness for disruptions
- Greater agency and control over the future
- Enhanced optimism and hope
Why futures thinking is good for your mental health
- We all naturally think about the future
- We need to learn to have empathy for our future selves
- Thinking about the future through scenarios has been shown to reduce stress about future events
Key Concepts and Skills in Futurism
Thinking in Timeframes
Think in long-term timeframes, such as 10 years or more, to escape the constraints of the present and consider more transformative possibilities.
Identifying Drivers of Change
Understanding drivers of change as the underlying forces that shape trends and influence the emergence of signals.
Creating Scenarios
Understanding scenarios as short stories set in a future forecast, providing concrete examples of how the world might be different.
Identifying and Analysing Signals of Change
Understand signals of change as concrete examples of how the world is already becoming different today, offering clues to the future.
Developing Future Forecasts
Understanding future forecasts as evidence-based predictions about what might happen in the future, acknowledging that there are always multiple possibilities.
Embracing Uncertainty and Openness
Understand that the future is inherently uncertain and that futurists must be comfortable with ambiguity.
Tools and Resources
Futures Thinking Tools
Tools, techniques and frameworks to help you think about the future.
Organisations, books and resources
Key resources to help you look more deeply