Futures Analysis

• Futures Analysis

Futures Analysis Specialization Courses

Overview

This course is meant to provide participants with another taste of strategy by introducing them to futures analysis. This tool has become essential for a wide range of decision-makers across different realms and industries: we are all concerned with our inboxes and rarely have the operational tools to project ourselves beyond a limited time horizon. And there seems to be no magic formula: Unexpected events continue to rock the boats even of those who seemed most powerful.

When it is conducted in a meaningful way, futures analysis can help decision-makers not only picture themselves in a longer time horizon than they would have otherwise, but also account for the broader context and the potential convergence of trends. As a result, decision-makers, relying upon futures analysis, can design strategies that will make their business more flexible – i.e. comfortable across a wide range of scenarios, uncertainty notwithstanding – and more resilient – i.e. give them the ability to rebound and to recover after a large and unexpected shock.

In this course, we’ll take a look at how futures analysis is implemented in a wide range of industries in the private sector – as well as in other fields, including policymaking and geopolitics. Our goal will be to identify these approaches, discuss their benefits and limits, and consider the extent to which they can be recycled and generalized. We’ll particularly focus on the extent to which we can combine these approaches within a single, consistent and robust approach so as to deliver meaningful strategies. The bottom-line conclusion of many participants is likely to be that futures analysis is a state of mind, a set of issues that a leader (or someone designated by them) needs to be continuously aware of beyond the usual activity and hazards of their organization.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this class, participants should be able to:

• Think about strategy from different perspectives, relying on the practices of other fields
• Understand what futures analysis seeks to achieve, how it differs from and completes other forms of strategy – especially corporate strategy
• Make their business more flexible and resilient in the wake of uncertainty
• Place decisions in a time stream, by considering the long run implications of decisions – both yours and those of others
• Account for the broader context and for the interaction and the possible convergence of long-term trends
• Develop a long-term, consistent strategy and vision, beyond mere day-to-day tactics