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Futurists suggest change … and most people/clients would rather not. Sometimes I think it is helpful to get back to basics and really grasp this simple essence of what we do — persuade people to do things they’d rather not do. We can be like the nutritionist urging people to eat their vegetables and take their vitamins. [NOTE: I acknowledge we do other things … maybe this is the hardest thing we do?]
I’ve written a lot about methodologies, tools, techniques and such. It’s important to keep in mind that they are means to this end of persuasion. We can sometimes get “tool-itis” and get too caught up or enamored with them. One way this shows up is bandwagoning on the latest craze . AI, for example, is the latest ” going to change everything”; and before that there was … and before that … and before that. Yet, those pesky people still would rather not change.
Put another way: models, simulations, frameworks, designs, artifacts, experiences, prototypes, games, sci fi, triangles, pyramids, 2x2s, virtual reality, automation, platforms, storyboards, vignettes, infographics, website, blogs, video, etc. are excellent things to try and do, but it still boils down to – do people want to change or not?
We can and should make the case for change as compelling as possible, but not get carried away with the search for the magic beans that are finally going to make clients get it. For instance, there are lots and lots of ways to suggest a client ought to be more sustainable. But if they don’t want to do it, they won’t do it. At this point in time, I don’t know if there is any way to make a case for sustainability in a format that suddenly makes someone say “aha .. now I get it.” Just to be clear, we should keep trying to be more effective and persuasive, but keep in mind the core of what we do is actually rather simple. Perhaps the message is do it in the simplest form possible? Hmmm.
More and more in futures work, there is not really an information deficit. It is a matter of decision and choice, which to a great extent comes down to values. But let’s leave that for another time. For now, beware tool-itis. It’s ultimately simple, can we more usefully frame the choices and persuade our clients to change. – Andy Hines
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