How might we plan for the future if the future is blurry, menacing and unknowable? Using foresight methodology, we can survey the landscape to look for emerging trends. This is one of the fundamentals of futures work. We take a strategic approach to evaluating interesting projects, policies, businesses, products, etc. to identify relevant opportunities or threats. We also consider things that many not at first seem relevant, but that could really throw a wrench into things. Futurists sometimes build scenarios to help you understand the concept of an uncertain future. These stories can be brought to life with design fiction -- artifacts and experiences that help you to visualize something that doesn't yet exist -- they are prototypes of the future. Feel the future, don't fear the future.

1. 1
Gazing
into the
Future
Maggie Greyson
June 2, 2017

2. 2
MDes Strategic Foresight and Innovation
Futurist
Strategic Designer
Art School dropout
Maggie
Greyson

3. 3
THE DISTANT
FUTURE IS
unknown

4. 4
THE DISTANT
FUTURE IS
unknown
blurry

5. 5
THE DISTANT
FUTURE IS
UNKNOWN
blurry
menacing

6. 6
1955
Fortune Magazine listed the 500 largest
companies in a list that has become
synonymous with success.
60 years later
only 71 of those companies still remain.

7. 7
Share moments,
Share life
1892
Kodak was founded by George Eastman
credited with inventing the first photographic
film in roll form
1975
Kodak invented the digital camera
January 19, 2012

8. 8
Netflix sent videos that you would have rented
through Blockbuster straight to your home without
due dates or late fees.
Blockbuster was unconcerned and even had the
opportunity to buy Netflix for $50 million in 2000.
make it a
blockbuster
night

9. Foresight
champions and frameworks
innovation
& Systems thinking
trends & emerging trends
uncertainty
strategic planning
9

10. 10
The future cannot
be predicted,
but futures can be
invented.
From the book “Inventing the Future” written
by Dennis Gabor who was later awarded a Nobel
Prize in Physics for his work in holography.

11. 11
Pablo Picasso, Artist

12. 12
albert Einstein, Theoretical Physicist

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Buckminster Fuller, Architect

14. 14
Mary Jackson, NASA Engineer

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Col. Chris Hadfield, Canadian Astronaut

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Heather Reisman, indigo Founder and CEO

17. Foresight
champions and frameworks
innovation
& Systems thinking
trends & emerging trends
uncertainty
strategic planning
17

18. 18
policy horizons
canada
foresight Framework

19. 19
World Economic
Forum
Future of Jobs and Skills in Africa
Four Scenarios
1. Mad Max
2. Transparently Blurred
3. Turbulence and Trust Deficits
4. Privatized World

20. 20
arup
foresight and innovation
Report: Cities Alive - Rethinking greeni nfrastructure

21. 21
arup
foresight and innovation
Report: Cities Alive - Rethinking greeni nfrastructure

22. 22
shell
foresight
scenarios
since the
1970’s
Prepared for an oil shock
A vision of post-apartheid
South Africa
Responding to AIDS
Energy-water-food

23. 23
Volkswagen Group
Strategy
2025

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ontario college of art
and design university
strategic innovation lab (Slab)

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Uncertain futures

26. 26
Uncertain futures

27. 27
Clarifies planning
assumptions
Identifies emerging
policy challenges
and opportunities
Develops more
robust policy and
strategy
Helps individuals
and organizations
prepare and
rehearse for
change.
results

28. Foresight
champions and frameworks
innovation
& Systems thinking
trends & emerging trends
uncertainty
strategic planning
28

29. 29
how is innovation
like a garden?

30. 30
how is innovation
like a forest?

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You’ve got to think
about big things while
you’re doing small
things, so that all the
small things go in the
right direction.
“Future Shock” by Alvin Toffler

32. Foresight
champions and frameworks
innovation
& Systems thinking
trends & emerging trends
uncertainty
strategic planning
32

33. 33
start with
trends we
know

34. 34
iphone is Here to stay

35. 35
the light
phone
a signal of change?

36. 36
United Nation's population
projections by world region
Japan’s Demographic Time Bomb
simultaneous futures

37. 37
weak
signals
esight

38. 38
emerging trends
“i can do it”

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40. 40
Fad
trend

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mega trend
“let’s chat”
Traditional marketing
tries to draw clients
to you

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mega trend
“let’s chat”
now People are
expecting to interact
with you in the way
they want

43. Foresight
champions and frameworks
innovation
& Systems thinking
trends & emerging trends
uncertainty
strategic planning
43

44. 44
Aimee mullins, Record-Breaking Paralympian, l’oreal

45. 45
This is Joy.
her software can’t see her

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susur lee, canadian iron chef

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49. Foresight
champions and frameworks
innovation
& Systems thinking
trends & emerging trends
uncertainty
strategic planning
49

50. 50
Probing the limits of
our current reality
and
Making new realities
possible

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megatrend
open
everything

52. 52
F
R
E
E
WW
A
T
E
R
CONCESSION
STAND
NESTLE WATERS
CONCESSION STAND
GIVE YOUR THUMBPRINT TO NESTLE
IN EXCHANGE FOR
TWO FREE GLASSES OF
WATER PER DAY.
feel the
future, don’t
fear the
future
experiential futures

53. 53
conclusion

54. 54

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what’s the cost in not exploring
plausible futures? the future is not
unknowable, menacing and blurry
You are supported by foresight
champions and frameworks
look broadly and be aware of
the dynamic system
evaluate multiple futures
get comfortable with uncertainty
mindset

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An Introduction to
Corporate Foresight
POLICY
CHALLENGE:
An issue that current
policies or institutions
may not be ready or
able to address.
downloads

57. 57
thank you for
today
and
tomorrow