by It was great to be able to brief the new Foresight Competency Model at the recent APF Global Futures Festival. To listen to my 30-minute talk, please click this link, and go to minute 13:30.
The model was a product of a task force of 23 futurists from 4 continents working on issues in 
professionalizing foresight. It was driven by a core team: Cornelia Daheim (Germany), me and Jay Gary (US), and Luke van der Laan (Australia) — I really enjoyed working with these folks. A great spirit of listening, understanding, sharing, and working toward solutions!
We followed the steps outlined in “A Guide for Developing Competency Models,” and accompanying tutorials from the Competency Model Clearinghouse website, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. The model is intended to demonstrate the recommended competencies that individuals preparing for or considering a futurist career ought to possess. They wrote up and posted a nice piece on our work.
This purpose of this multi-cluster model is to clarify how futurists view their knowledge, skills and abilities. The central cluster of the model is circle of 6 foresight competencies: framing, scanning, futuring, designing, visioning and adapting. This central node is undergirded by a base of 3 clusters: personal, academic and workplace competencies. In turn, two competency clusters: sector and occupational roles are above the center foresight competencies.
Framing Scoping the project, defining the focal issue and current conditions
Scanning Exploring signals of change or indicators of the futures
Futuring Identifying a baseline and alternative futures
Visioning Developing and committing to a preferred future
Designing Developing prototypes, offerings and artifacts to achieve vision and goals
Adapting Enabling organizations to generate options to alternative futures
The Foresight Competency Model (FCM) addresses the basic question of what one ought to capable of doing as a professional futurist. We will, of course, revisit and update the competency model in the years ahead as needed.
There is more to come from the Professionalization Task Force (and more on it from this blog) but for sure, this is an important milestone in our work. — Andy Hines
Leave a Reply