Talking Points on Integrating Foresight into Organizations

I recently gave a webinar based on my dissertation on integrating foresight into organizations to an informal group of corporate futurists. I jotted down some notes beforehand, which I thought I’d share here.

Great to note that a “new” informal corporate foresight networks exists – I was part of such a group in the early 2000’s and also a regional version known as Michigan Futurists Network, of which I have very fond memories.
TATF (Thinking about the Future)” It’s very useful to have a consistent framework; all projects draw from similar activities and are then customized to particular clients and projects; it demystifies the process when your framework and explanation is consistent. It also helps you design “off-the-cuff.” I use the TATF, you can use whatever you prefer.
Spending your time. Invest your time wisely. Decide on your ideal balance between content, process, and education/culture change; depends on the situation in your organization — no one-size-fits-all formula.
Understand the larger process of how integration works – helps you envision progress toward your goal, and of course, suggests you have a goal. Positioning your capability/function is important, but what end is it serving? Be careful not to be too tactical and too project-focused
Permission foresight model suggests building credibility and capacity slowly and steadily; small success enables permission for more advanced project.
Think about success – what’s your elevator speech on that? You will be asked…..often.
To institutionalize….feed the sponsor, but put feelers out there with otherws; doing good work for others reflects well on your sponsor; viral model where clients are your best salespeople
Humility: be sure your sponsors know the impact you’re having, but don’t worry about public credit or “theft” of your ideas. Andy Hines

About Andy Hines

Dr. Andy Hines is Program Coordinator at the University of Houston’s Graduate Program in Foresight, bringing together the experience he earned as an organizational, consulting, and academic futurist. He is also speaking, workshopping, and consulting through his firm Hinesight.

Before that, he was Managing Director of Social Technologies/Innovaro, and served as an Adjunct Professor with the university since 2004. Hines enjoyed earlier careers as a consulting and organizational futurist. He was a partner with Coates & Jarratt, Inc., a think tank and consulting firm that specialized in the study of the future. He was also Futurist & Senior Ideation Leader at Dow Chemical with a mission of using futures tools and knowledge to turn ideas into new business opportunities. Before that, Hines established and ran the Global Trends Program for the Kellogg Company.

Hines is motivated by a professional hunger to make foresight practical and useful, and he believes that foresight can help deliver the insight that is so needed in today’s organizations and the world. His goal, he says, is to infect as many change agents as possible with this message. Thus, he has honed a skill set designed to make foresight more actionable in organizations.

In this pursuit, he has authored five books: Teaching about the Future: The Basics of Foresight Education (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012); ConsumerShift: How Changing Values Are Reshaping the Consumer Landscape (No Limits Publishing, 2011); Thinking About the Future: Guidelines for Strategic Foresight (Social Technologies, 2007); 2025: Science and Technology Reshapes US and Global Society (Oak Hill, 1997); and Managing Your Future as an Association (ASAE, 1994) and has another in the hands of publishers: Teaching about the Future: The Basics of Foresight Education. He has also authored dozens of articles, speeches, and workshops, including the 2003 Emerald Literati Awards’ Outstanding Paper accolade for best article published in Foresight for “An Audit for Organizational Futurists” and the 2008 award for “Scenarios: The State of the Art.” He has appeared on several radio and television programs, PBS Houston, KRIV-26 News, and the CBS “Early Show.” He also co-founded and is former Chair of the Association of Professional Futurists.

Comments

René Rohrbeck says

May 12, 2013 at 3:58 pm

Hi Andy,

thanks for sharing this and also your dissertation freely. I enjoyed reading your work. Keep it up.

All the best,
René

Reply
- Andy Hines says
  
  May 12, 2013 at 7:05 pm
  
  Hi Rene,
  
  thanks….and likewise! BTW, I am working on a piece that I hope will be included as part of your special issue with TF&SC.
  
  andy
  
  Reply

About Andy Hines

Reader Interactions

Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply