Futures Thinking: Organizations and Communities Shaping Tomorrow

Leading Futurist Organisations

Several prominent organisations are at the forefront of futures research and foresight:

The Institute for the Future (IFTF)is one of the world’s leading futures organisations. Founded in 1968 to help organisations plan for the long term, IFTF is based in Palo Alto, California, and conducts groundbreaking research on emerging trends and technologies.

The World Future Society (WFS)is a community of futurists founded in 1966. WFS publishes the long-running magazine The Futurist and hosts an annual conference bringing together futures thinkers worldwide.

The Association of Professional Futurists (APF) is a global community of professional futurists that provides networking, professional development, and resources for practitioners in the field.

The Millennium Project is an independent non-profit global participatory futures research think tank that publishes the annual “State of the Future” report.

Influential Futurists and Thought Leaders

Several key individuals have shaped the development of futures studies:

Alvin Toffler – Author of the seminal 1970 book “Future Shock”, which explored how rapid technological and social change impacts society.

Jim Dator – Professor and Director of the Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies, known for his work on alternative futures.

Amy Webb – Founder of the Future Today Institute and author of “The Signals Are Talking”, focused on emerging technology trends.

Sohail Inayatullah – UNESCO Chair in Futures Studies and pioneer of Causal Layered Analysis, a critical futures studies method.

Essential Futures Thinking Books

Some key texts that have advanced futures thinking include:

“The Art of the Long View” by Peter Schwartz – A classic guide to scenario planning methods.

“Thinking about the Future” by Andy Hines and Peter Bishop – An overview of key foresight methods and approaches.

“The Singularity is Near” by Ray Kurzweil – Explores potential impacts of accelerating technological change.

“The Fourth Industrial Revolution” by Klaus Schwab – Examines how emerging technologies are reshaping economies and societies.

Communities and Networks

Several communities bring together futures thinkers:

The Millennium Project Nodes – A global network of futurists and organisations in over 60 countries collaborating on foresight projects.

Long Now Foundation – Fosters long-term thinking through initiatives like the 10,000 Year Clock project.

The Foresight Institute – A community focused on emerging technologies like nanotechnology, AI, and longevity.

Academic Programs

Universities are increasingly offering futures studies programs:

University of Houston’s Foresight Program – One of the oldest and most established graduate programs in futures studies.

Ontario College of Art and Design’s Strategic Foresight and Innovation Program – Combines design thinking with futures methods.

Tamkang University’s Graduate Institute of Futures Studies – The first futures studies program in Asia.

I have compiled a list of books and organisations for futher readimg here.