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What do we teach about the future? What does one need to know to be an effective futurist? The six steps of our basic Framework Foresight methodology, based on the APF Foresight Competency model competencies, divide a project into two phases, mapping and influencing.
The mapping phase, including framing, scanning, and futuring, is about crafting a map of the future of the domain you are exploring. The simple logic is that if you were going to explore any new territory, you would want a map (whether physical or GPS). If there isn’t a map, as is the case with the future, you need to draw one.
The map is a tool for helping you to influence your future. Where do you want to go? Why? When? How? The map doesn’t tell you which way to go – even a GPS needs to be told what the destination is. What’s our vision, our strategy for getting there, and what do we actually want to do in the future?
Finally, understanding relates to the why? Why explore this space and why do want a particular preferred future? We need a theoretical grounding that guides the mapping and influencing. This includes, among other things, our view of social change, an understanding of systems thinking, and ability to think creatively, critically, and integrally.
If you want some more on methodology, the video explores some tips for exploring the future: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUsqAlzTtks — Andy Hines
[…] To explore the future of a domain or topic, our Framework Foresight process uses a simple two-phase breakdown: mapping and influencing. […]