FIG | Foresight Inside Group

Australia, I'm coming home. Setting up, growing and expanding the Foresight capability for some of the world's biggest brands, McDonald's and Mars Wrigley, out of their global headquarters in Chicago and New Jersey, doing so alongside some of the most talented leaders in the world, seeing (and being a small part of) how decisions at the top are made that impact billions of lives, has been an incredible experience that this short post can't fully capture. It's also been a life experience. While in the US, I lived through a pandemic, inflation, two presidents, one general election, two global wars ... I went through four visas, visited 23 states, I used to look up at the Empire State Building each day, I even took my dog to the White House. They say when you know a second language, your brain becomes more adaptable and flexible. I believe living in different places is similar. Your frame of reference expands. The US truly is the land of opportunity and you get out of it what you put in. And I've always had the bug to seize opportunity. So I'm taking that back home with me. ?? I'm staying in Foresight, and will continue to help organizations grow this pivotal capability. ?? I'm staying Global. Just swapping squirrels in the backyard for kangaroos. ?? I'm staying in Business and growth generation. ??? I'm staying close to the mic in speaking & my pod Looking Outside. ?? But something is changing. More on that next month. ?? I suppose there's just one last thing to say. And that's thank you.

A nod to my fellow futurists and foresight practitioners, keep up the good work. Every company needs one. https://lnkd.in/gJ52kD5p

What better way to celebrate World Futures Day than to share a snippet of wisdom from world leading futurist, Paul Saffo. The simple truth is that if you're not stretching your strategy imaginatively to consider the unexpected, the unexpected will find your strategy. And no, this doesn't require a fancy and expensive foresight study, but sometimes just a conversation with someone who sees the world differently. ?? World Futures Day aims to prompt an intentional discussion about our collective futures, and takes place March 1, whenever that may be in your part of the world. (Hence the post today, g'day!) The Millennium Project Looking Outside FIG | Foresight Inside Group Teach the Future

Hey, I wrote something - maybe you should too? #kettlethoughts #strategy #storytelling #strategicthinking #foresight

???????? ?????? ?????????? ???????????? ???????? ?????????????? ?????????????????? ??????????????? With so many toolkits out there – some great, some not-so-great – I’m actually pretty proud of what Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies' new toolkit has to offer. Instead of a step-by-step beginner’s guide or a theoretical overview, our toolkit takes a practical ‘knowledge & experience sharing’ approach, honed through many years of CIFS’ applied foresight work. This collection of tools and approaches has been carefully curated and refined based on our own extensive experience in the field of foresight, combined with insights drawn from other thinkers and practitioners. Have a look. You can download the full version for free here ?? https://lnkd.in/gV5nBQMV #foresight #strategicforesight #futuresthinking #strategy

#Deepsearch promises AI-generated reports in minutes: but don't confuse the journey with the destination! In the past year, to conduct foresight analysis I’ve been using several powerful AI tools — including a dedicated innovative platform internally — that synthesizes multiple sources from reports, academic papers, news articles, to expert analyses into structured, readable summaries. It’s definitey a game-changer in terms of productivity especially when you can control the corpus : what used to take days of desk research and cross-referencing can now be completed in minutes, indeed. At first glance, this is an incredible leap forward. The ability to process vast amounts of information almost instantly means we can identify key insights, detect weak signals, and even structure early-stage thinking with unprecedented speed. But here’s the dilemma: does speed equal foresight value? ?? Why efficiency isn’t enough The role of foresight isn’t just to digest and summarize—it’s most of the time to challenge assumptions, refine, and mature ideas over time. In my experience, some of the most valuable insights don’t emerge from a quick synthesis but from a deep, iterative process of engagement. When we take the time to pilot a project leading to a publication, something powerful happens: ? we allow time for critical thinking. Initial ideas evolve, perspectives shift, and what seemed like a clear-cut trend at the beginning might turn out to be more complex—or even misleading. ? we validate and enrich insights through collaboration. Instead of relying solely on a machine-generated summary, we bring in experts, test assumptions, and explore alternative interpretations. AI may highlight patterns, but it cannot assess their strategic implications the way human judgment can. ? we create buy-in and syndication. Foresight is as much about the process of collective sense-making as it is about the end result. When a report is developed through discussions, workshops, and expert contributions, it becomes more than just a document—it becomes a shared vision that people feel ownership over. And when people feel engaged, they amplify the impact of those insights across the organization. ?? The risk of “fast foresight” If we reduce foresight to AI-generated reports, we risk producing analyses that are: ? overly standardized – AI trains on existing narratives, reinforcing mainstream perspectives rather than uncovering truly disruptive ideas. ? lacking depth – The ability to pause, question, and let ideas mature is what makes foresight thinking different from mere reporting. ? disconnected from internal buy-in – Insights are only impactful if they are understood, owned, and shared by those who will act on them. This is why I believe AI should be seen as an enhancer, not a substitute. It’s a brilliant tool for structuring complexity, but it does not replace the time, collaboration, and debate needed to make insights actionable... (?more in comments}

We're thrilled to welcome three brilliant industry leading organisations to FIG | Foresight Inside Group! It's an honor to have these forward-thinking foresight insiders along the journey into 2025. ?? Welcome to the group! Ford Motor Company ?? Jennifer Brace L'Oréal ?? Marie-Caroline Darbon & Adrien Mollet Danone ?? Maaike De Vries At FIG, we bring together professionals committed to embedding foresight at the heart of organizational decision-making. Together, we’re shaping the future of business by turning uncertainty into opportunity. ?? Joanna Lepore, Adam Walker, Benjamin Moncrieffe #foresightinside #strategicforesight #innovation #leadership

You're not going to ask a marketer to select a tech stack. You won't see the finance team writing creative briefs. So why do we expect people with no prior foresight experience to run a foresight project? We give this task to people who have never turned the output of a foresight project into a growth generating business plan. People who in most cases don't know where to start in effectively briefing, researching and actioning the long term future. ?? It's no wonder we see this growth of organizations dedicating resource for foresight. These smart businesses know that the benefit lies in the translation. Clip is from the 2024 Dubai Future Forum, where I shared the stage with amazing foresighters Jan Oliver Schwarz, Billie Ing, Gabriele Rizzo, Ph.D., APF and represented FIG. Full video in the comments. #foresight #future DUBAI FUTURE FOUNDATION Global Futures Society FIG | Foresight Inside Group

Join us for a reflection of the 2024 Dubai Future Forum Dec 5. Or just come by and say hello!

This year, the Dubai Future Forum got a little self-reflective, turning away from a focus purely on science and tech and towards the humanities. The beautiful thing about the Forum, only in its third year, is that it follows no precedent, is bound by no rules, and is propelled by only one ambitious vision with executional freedom. And without a doubt, it is the best event for those in foresight and futures. So here are this futurist's reflections from the 2024 Forum: 1.?Complacency and pace are a dangerous combination, especially when fueling technology. With such certainty that we will move into a digitally enabled future, tech took a backseat at the Forum. But friendly disagreement over AI efficacy vs hype was still there. 2.?Should foresight be used to ‘save the world’? More use of foresight as activism 'for a better world’ is evident. Sometimes in combative ways. And always, without realizing it, with bias. After all, a vision of a better world by one organization or individual is still, in the end, one version of a ‘correct’ future. Many of us come into foresight because we want to create positive change but, as it was said at the Forum, altruism without pragmatism is guaranteed disappointment. 3.?Is philosophy making a comeback? Maybe. Certainty the highlight of the Forum for me was Patrick Noack's panel exploring cathedral thinking and gestures without reciprocity. And Patrick also gets the winning moment of the Forum, for reminded us we share 60% of our DNA with a banana. 4.?The foresight field must evolve to survive. On my panel we debated ‘what makes a futurist?’ and perhaps more importantly, why our field is so determined to make it hard for the future futurists to enter the space. In our quest to be taken seriously, we end up taking ourselves too seriously. 5. Interest in corporate foresight signals a recognition that we can’t do foresight alone; we need involvement from private sector. Many major businesses, curious about the benefits of foresight, were present during this year’s Forum. This is a great thing that benefits both these organizations and the diversity of experience that feeds into and fuels the evolution of our field. And of course makes the Forum the great event it is, no matter what kind of foresight you practice. Full views in the newsletter. DUBAI FUTURE FOUNDATION Global Futures Society #future #foresight #dubaifutureforum2024