These are my random thoughts on the futuring approach. I will keep updating this article as more ideas come.
Futuring is the systematic process of imagining different possible future outcomes — good and bad — and planning for them. Futuring is not forecasting as we are not trying to predict what will happen, but instead we are using our creativity to imagine a future that we want and work towards it, or to avoid a future that we don’t want.
While companies like Intel and Walt Disney are using futuring for innovations (products and theme parks experience), I believe the value of futuring goes beyond that:
- Futuring can be applied in PR in crisis management. By imagining various versions of the far future, we may develop a crisis management strategy for each version. We may also develop training materials to equip PR professionals with the skills to pre-empt and respond to possible crisis events.
- To be added…
In my futuring works, I have collaborated with science fiction novelists and speculative designers. Creative professionals can help us stretch our thinking as far as possible.
