Collaborative Foresight: How to Game the Future

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/collaborative-foresight

Introduction

**Course Review: Collaborative Foresight: How to Game the Future** In an ever-changing world where the future feels increasingly unpredictable, gaining foresight is crucial for decision-makers, organizations, and individuals alike. Coursera's course, **"Collaborative Foresight: How to Game the Future,"** offers a unique approach to exploring the multitude of possibilities that lie ahead. Presented by the renowned Institute for the Future, this course employs engaging collaborative gaming techniques that encourage participants to think outside the box and embrace diverse perspectives. ### Overview of the Course At its core, the course recognizes that no single viewpoint can encompass the entirety of future possibilities. By fostering collaboration and imagination, learners are encouraged to engage with others, challenge conventional thinking, and generate innovative ideas on what the future may hold. The structured syllabus promotes interactive learning through both theory and practical exercises—transforming foresight into an entertaining game rather than a monotonous task. ### Course Structure and Syllabus Breakdown The course is broken down into five engaging modules that guide participants from foundational concepts to practical applications. Here's a closer look at what each week entails: 1. **Introduction to Collaborative Foresight:** The course kicks off by introducing the concept of future forecasting games. Participants learn the fundamentals of organizing their own games and identify the right people to engage. By the end of this week, learners will have identified a unique future scenario worth exploring. 2. **How to Game Out Surprising Consequences:** In this session, participants get hands-on with the "future wheel" technique—a tool designed to brainstorm unexpected outcomes through collaborative input. By gaming out various scenarios, learners enrich their understanding of how different choices can lead to diverse future states. 3. **Positive and Shadow Imagination:** This week introduces learners to the dual concepts of positive and shadow imagination. By exploring these techniques, participants learn to navigate both hopeful and cautionary narratives. The practical application includes inquiries into fascinating future topics, like space settlement and neurosensing social networks. 4. **Tools for Seeing the Future from a Different Point of View:** Building on previous weeks, this module introduces two additional tools: Leading-Edge interviews and the Four Future Feelings tool. This week emphasizes the importance of dialogues and perspectives, encouraging learners to engage with individuals from varied backgrounds. 5. **Epic Wins:** The course concludes with a focus on synthesis and actionable insights. Participants will learn how to use their findings to propose innovative solutions to contemporary issues. An additional highlight is the Equitable Futures Card game—a capstone activity that encapsulates the course’s objectives and encourages communal learning. ### Recommendations I wholeheartedly recommend **"Collaborative Foresight: How to Game the Future"** for anyone looking to enhance their strategic thinking and develop a richer understanding of potential futures. This course is particularly beneficial for: - **Business Leaders:** Gain insights that can influence decision-making and strategic planning. - **Educators and Trainers:** Learn facilitation techniques that can be applied in educational settings. - **Futurists and Researchers:** Develop innovative frameworks for foresight that can enhance their work. - **Creative Thinkers:** Engage in structured brainstorming that refines and expands your imaginative capabilities. ### Conclusion "Collaborative Foresight: How to Game the Future" stands out not only as a learning experience but also as a transformative approach to understanding our collective future. Through collaboration and playful engagement, participants can unravel complex challenges and derive actionable insights. Whether you're looking to sharpen your foresight skills or simply seek a fresh perspective on the future, this course is a valuable investment in your future-readiness toolkit. Embrace the game—your future is waiting!

Syllabus

Introduction to Collaborative Foresight

Welcome to Collaborative Foresight. Shall we play a game? This week, you'll learn the basics: What is a future forecasting game? How do you run one? And who should you invite to play? At the end of the week, you'll choose your own future scenario that you think would make for a great game.

How can you spin up a new forecasting game, fast? This week, you'll learn how to use a future wheel to collect lots of surprising ideas from many different people. You'll be challenged to game out five different scenarios using the future wheel platform. And, of course, you'll have the chance to design your own future wheel! Let's play!

Let's add another tool to your gaming toolkit. This week, you'll learn about positive and shadow imagination. What is it, and how can it help you run a successful future forecasting game? While you're practicing this new skill, get ready to take a deep dive on two exciting future topics: the future of space settlement and the future of neurosensing social networks!

This week you'll get to practice two more tools for seeing the future from massively many points of view: Leading-Edge interviews and the Four Future Feelings tool. Get ready to meet new people and organize your own playful conversations about the future!

You've created and played a future forecasting game. Now what? This week, you'll learn how to take your game findings and propose innovative solutions to our most urgent challenges today. You'll also get everything you need to organize and play one more kind of futures thinking game: The Equitable Futures Card game. Ready, set... win!