DCPA2106. Experiential Keynote: Foundations of Practical Futurism

In a tech-driven world and business environment of accelerating change and increasing complexity, the ability to see and think like a futurist offers a growing strategic advantage. But “embracing the future” in business has too often meant succumbing to endless hype cycles, techno babble & wishful thinking. We offer a practical alternative: a solutions-oriented grounding in futures-thinking that cuts through the hype and gives leaders the tools to identify emerging opportunities/threats and to understand the future as a dynamic space for experimentation and learning.

We combine principles and practices from the worlds of strategic foresight, social entrepreneurship, tech innovation, and design to create a unique introduction to envisioning the future and learning how to seize it.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and evaluate weak signals and emerging trends as early indicators of coming change
• Explore current signals relevant to the future of organization and industry
• Differentiate between foresight and planning and understand the limitations of a planner’s mindset in an environment of high complexity
• Embrace uncertainty as a window into discovery and innovation