Only by understanding our past can we properly design for a future that’s different from it. When we think about the past there’s a tendency toward thinking about things that are often unpleasant, even old-fashioned. Future-thinking is exciting, filled with possibility, and is characterized more by optimism, technology, and ‘shiny things’ at its most cartoonish. […]
Design For Humans’ History Read More »
The time to bring together three fields of practice focused on shaping the future with evidence and imagination is here. Design thinking is about problem-finding, solution-seeking, and creating the things — programs, products, services, and policies — that contribute to the solution. Futures and Strategic Foresight are about examining trends and patterns in a context
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Beforetimes were different than now and what’s next will be different, too. The difference is that one we can design for. The carefree days of standing out in public admiring the possibilities is what attracted me to this picture. There’s no digital things, the man is dressed up, there are flowers, yet he’s also mostly
Turbulence offers a chance to put into place new, better habits, behaviours and structures if we know which ones to freeze into place. Turbulence is a word suited to the times for many markets, human service situations, and communities. The massive jostling of our way of life and the effects on social life and the
Freeze Framing and Turbulence Read More »
How do we think about the journeys through complex situations when we are unsure of a destination? There is a saying that the journey is the destination which speaks to the value of learning by doing — praxis — and how much it means to those who seek to create things. What happens when we
Journeys for Uncertain Destinations Read More »
Seeing the road ahead isn’t the same as doing something to get there: it’s a lesson that foresight and strategy aren’t the same things Seeing the future isn’t the same as meeting it with preparation. “These lineups were scary” said one woman who had twice before attempted to get a COVID test at a Toronto-area
The Folly of Foresight Read More »
It’s been said the best way to predict the future is to create it: foresight is way to help us determine if its the one we want. There’s no shortage of quotes about the future. From the weather to strategic plans, we humans love to forecast and plan for what is to come. But beyond
Causal Looks: Foresight Fundamentals Read More »
Change-making requires accepting some degree of failure. How we deal with our stumbles determines how or whether we succeed. If you’re reading this in early January (or maybe the weeks after your birthday or some other significant anniversary) you might find yourself head-long into a struggle to implement some change-making plan. This might be a
The Canadian province of Alberta has a reputation for fostering innovation. From strategic foresight to systemic design this reputation is well-earned. Alberta is a province in Western Canada known internationally for its expansive landscape of prairie and mountains, oil industry, and prehistoric riches. Its weather can be extreme — from large temperature swings (including the
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Of the many ways to reach people, email still works. Sometimes innovation is best doing new things with old tools. This is not your typical post. Today I’m launching the Censemaking Newsletter. Every two-three weeks I’ll send some of the best on trends, tools, techniques, research and case studies on innovation with the goal of
Innovation to Your Inbox Read More »
