Futurists and naming the field 2021 | Hinesight....for Foresight

Here we are again — having the “what should we call, or not call, our field?” conversation. Why does this keep coming back? Some ask, why is this important? May I may offer up a “why?”

I just happened to be looking at some history of the field. One was the write-up of the APF’s “futures of futures” scenarios from 2003. One of the issues we identified was a “confused” public who didn’t know much about our work (paraphrasing). One strategic response was along the lines of developing more consistent terminology and messaging for clients and the public. In short, if you speak to ten futurists and get ten different names and ten different definitions, we have a communications problem.

I also happened to be looking at Jib Fowles 1978 “Handbook of Futures Research” and it struck me how back then they were having pretty much the same debate we are having right now. So, in 42 years, we’ve made no progress on this particular issue (lots of other good progress). It is a hard one, no doubt. When I researched names for my dissertation I landed on Foresight, but I pledge to y’all that if we could find a term that would have better client and public appeal, I’m down with it. No term will be perfect. For me, it is what’s best for the field in terms of our outreach/communication to the public. We have a lot to offer, but we’re still a well-kept secret. — 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.

About Andy Hines

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