Core Concepts in Futures Thinking

Often, while having discussions about the focus of futures thinking with other designers or technologists, I have identified myself as being misunderstood as if I was attempting to predict the future, which led me to the realization that the reason for this confusion is the name in itself: Futures. In reality, futures thinking is not about predicting a single future, but rather about exploring multiple potential futures that can inform solid decision-making in the present. This approach differs from predicting a single future and therefore anticipating only one outcome. In today’s world we can see many futurists like Jim Dator, who recognize that the future is not predetermined, but rather shaped by interacting forces, often complex and subtle as well as the decisions that we make in the present.