Articles

If we had a dime for every time someone asked us for the ROI of foresight, well, let’s just say we wouldn’t need to entertain the question any longer. 😉 The inherent challenge of integrating foresight into established organizations and institutions is the problem of incompatibility. The measurement criteria in our current systems is essentially a different language than the solution (foresight) being proposed.  “The Great Horse Manure Crisis of 1894,” a historical urban crisis in London and New York,…

“It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” – Yogi Berra The year is 2014. Frank and Yvette have been traveling the globe for two years, training leaders across Walt Disney International and racking up the frequent flyer miles. The Workforce of the Future initiative is reaching a critical juncture – the Advanced Practitioner training. Dubbed the “UN of Foresight”, this weeklong gathering in London includes delegates from each Disney Futures country team who are chosen to become certified…

Sophie Strand – one of our favorite thinkers, writers, and “life-weavers” – shared in her article entitled “Myco Eco Mytho” that, “Stories don’t belong to human beings. But human beings belong to stories. Let’s enter back into the complex, tangled work of letting go of authorship and letting ourselves be told.” This call to rewild our role across time, space, and experience – past, present, and future – sets the stage for this captivating interview where Sophie covers ideas such…

Don’t we do this already? Despite the maturity of our discipline and the many documented success stories, foresight practitioners still face basic questions about the nature of our field (no, we do not carry around crystal balls to predict the future, and no, this isn’t trend hunting or market research).  The confusion may not be all surprising; however. Futurists ARE unique in their craft, exploring a range of possible futures to help navigate uncertainty in the present. Many of you are…

“Future proofing” is an outdated relic Long before the recent surge in foresight’s popularity, the phrase “Future Proof” had been a staple of organizations and governments around the world. The idea of “Future Proofing” is to use the methodologies of foresight and futures thinking as a way to minimize risk; develop plans for securing relevance in the face of disruptive forces; and support efforts to centralize, quantify, predict, and mollify the future. There’s only one problem with the idea of…

It’s no secret that Futures Thinking has been growing in popularity within organizations and governments in recent years, and many of these entities now have foresight practitioners on staff. However, it is often framed within the context of more traditional practices such as strategic planning, trend analysis and research, forecasting, data mining, competitive intelligence and organizational development. Though foresight can certainly apply to and improve those practices — and reshape them to respond to the exponentially changing environment of the…

As many of you are probably aware, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Pact for the Future, an inter-governmentally negotiated and action-oriented agreement which U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described as a “step-change towards more effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism.” This landmark pact was part of the larger Summit of the Future held in New York City that “brought world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future.” The summit…

Libraries are the Future Libraries have always been pillars of knowledge and community, but their role is rapidly evolving in today’s world. In this insightful conversation, Dawn La Valle, Director of Library Development for the Connecticut State Library, discusses how strategic foresight can empower libraries to bridge the digital divide, combat misinformation, and co-create inclusive futures for all. Thanks to the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Connecticut State Libraries, TFSX has trained over 600 library professionals in the…

In a world that is enamored with short-term actions, incremental innovation, and quantifying everything, it’s important to understand that “forecasting” and “foresight” are not the same thing. They may have the future in common, but that does not make them equals. Forecasting uses quantitative data and trends in an attempt to fill in gaps and extrapolate outcomes. However, data by its very nature is a snapshot of the past (just as trends are the present – you know about them…

GFAC Live! event We’re meticulous about what we eat, but what about what we consume mentally? With seven hours a day spent bombarded by media from all angles, it’s time we reassess our digital diets. In this GFAC Live! recording, Mario Vasilescu, founder of Readocracy, dives into how our media consumption affects us and offers strategies for a healthier, more mindful approach to information. https://vimeo.com/851719067/8fe631fce2?share=copy