Book circle instead of scenario planning?

How much I promote scenario planning as a crucial tool for organizations I can't ignore the fact that an effective scenario planning process requires both skills, time, effort, and an organization open to higher level of thinking. Are there alternatives to discuss uncertainties and open a manager's mind? Could we do that by e. g … Continue reading Book circle instead of scenario planning?

Marina Gorbis on: ”Five Principles for Thinking Like a Futurist”

Marina Gorbis is a futurist and executive director of the Institute for the Future (IFTF), a research organization that helps organizations to think about and prepare for the future. In Educause Review she wrote this really good article where she listed "Five Principles for Thinking Like a Futurist": Forget about predictions. Focus on signals. Look … Continue reading Marina Gorbis on: ”Five Principles for Thinking Like a Futurist”

Porn, activism and technology forecasting

Laurent Haug quoted Ethan Zuckerman's point which is really worth repeating in forecasting and futurist circles. Since I am, at least partly, finding myself backing a bit to my original turf of technology forecasting this is a good reminder of a rule of thumb that I actually used as an argument for the future success … Continue reading Porn, activism and technology forecasting

Future Scanner – A promising future oriented digg

I got a mail yesterday promoting a new site called Future Scanner. It happens now and then that people finding my blog also want to use it to promote new things. As reader of this blog notice I am a bit skeptical to go somebody else's errands. This time it took me some minutes testing … Continue reading Future Scanner – A promising future oriented digg

Google trends and the state of the Western World

Inspired by this post in Google Blogoscoped (found via 43 Folders) and the statements that people are predictable I got reminded of the power of Google Trends. A service that let anyone look into the gathered statistics from probably the single largest information hub in the world. When the service was announced I sat for … Continue reading Google trends and the state of the Western World

Forecasting and Fermi problems

The other day a friend unexpectedly referred to Fermi problems (attributed to the famous physicist Enrico Fermi). I am the one who once (in ancient times) studied mathematics and physics and he is a marketing /advertising guy so I was a bit surprised. When realizing in what way he used the notion of Fermi problems … Continue reading Forecasting and Fermi problems