The role of the futurist
The role of the futurist
In this section, we present the views of a number of futures experts on the role of the futurist. This is done in an audio format. We asked each of them four questions and then allowed for individual interpretation in their response. The four questions asked were:
- How do you cope with futures analysis that out-paces decision-making?
- How do you as a futurist remain objective, particularly when faced with projects where the aims, values and cultures are unlike your own?
- What would you say, is the most important reason to use futures thinking in strategic analysis?
- Where (or when) do you think futures thinking makes the biggest difference?
Hear the responses
Roger Dennis
Roger Dennis approaches futures work from an innovation perspective. He is based in New Zealand and works in Europe and Asia Pacific. He maintains a blog on innovation, fringe scanning, and weak signals called IdeaPort.
Patrick Harris
Patrick is the former Director of Creaticity for Orange. He owns and operates thoughtengine, focusing in the areas of futures, strategy, creativity and brand. He is a Director in the Medinge Group, a think tank celebrating humanity in brands and a former Non-Executive Director in France Telecom UK R&D.
Alister Wilson
Alister, a Director of Waverley Management Consultants, is a strategic planner who works mainly with public sector clients. He is particularly interested in using futures techniques to aid innovative policy making.
Jane Galsworthy
Dr Galsworthy, is based at Oxford Innovation and works primarily in the areas of technology, innovation and knowledge transfer.
Denis Loveridge
Honorary Visiting Professor at the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research.
Andrew Curry
Director, Henley Centre Headlight Vision.
Listen to the audio file 1 378.13 Kb
Listen to the audio file 2 270.78 Kb
Dr Wendy Schultz
Dr Schultz owns and operates Infinite Futures, a consultancy focusing on futures research and facilitation. She is a Fellow of the World Futures Study Federation and was previously a Visiting Assistant Professor in Studies of the Future, at the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
The changing role of the futurist
Separately, we asked Eleonora Masini, Professor Emeritus of Futures Studies (Human and social perspective) at the Faculty of Sciences, Gregorian University, Rome to provide a slightly longer and more in depth recording of her intriguing perspectives about the changing role of the futurist.
The following four audio files are the responses by Dr Masini to questions about four themes that she articulated in her paper Rethinking Futures Studies. Collectively, they explore some key aspects to what could be, the emerging role of the futurist.
In what ways would you suggest that futurists need to deal with issues that range beyond their own interests and which reduce their areas of 'non-observation'? Listen to the answer 2.05 Mb
Can you share with us your view on the need for futurists to think in terms of developing visions, and of building projects for the future through actions based on clearly articulated values? Listen to the answer 3.19 Mb
Can you tell us more about how you see learning as important to futures thinking so that our internal psychological and spiritual structures can accommodate the changes we see? Listen to the answer 3.43 Mb
What do you mean when you describe women and children as two segments of ‘listeners to the seeds of change’? Listen to the answer 4.51 Mb