I agree with Riel to a large extent Maree. Outwardly imagination is a much better, immediate term, but I see foresight, system, design, interdisciplinary, entreneurial and critical thinking tools as a way to imagine,
alas I feel Riel is misguided in his assessment. Whilst it may be true that 'foresight' has been co-opted by industry players with no clue what it means (my view), to replace it with 'imagination' is an error. There is NOTHING that automatically equates imagination to looking ahead. It may do and is not a guarantee.
Fair to say foresight can be imaginative, but EVERY day we use our imagination to create an assessment of history. We just guess an assume we know what happened.
Foresight - contemplative of a future potential
Strategic foresight - structured approach to doing the above for a specific purpose other than mere contemplation
Gosh, missed this. This is not suggesting that imagination should become 'king' but it's an integral part of futures thinking. We can only imagine what does not exist yes? Foresight is a way of thinking as you write, but structured thinking constrains that thinking to the boundaries imposed by context.
I would say that foresight is a practice of disciplined imagination. Let's just say imagination is your raw material and that foresight turns these imaginings into agency and strategy.
Sorry, totally missed this. I would rather say that foresight is a capacity that allows us to have free imagination which then is interpreted in futures processes to reframe how we consider agency and strategy in a particular context in the present.
I agree with Riel to a large extent Maree. Outwardly imagination is a much better, immediate term, but I see foresight, system, design, interdisciplinary, entreneurial and critical thinking tools as a way to imagine,
Thanks, Paul
I divide foresight into an intelligence-based approach (think of military intelligence) and an aspirational approach.
The intelligence-based approach examines evidence today to determine the plausible paths forward.
The aspirational approach imagines a future state and backcasts how that could develop.
Both have a place and often the best results are when they’re used together.
alas I feel Riel is misguided in his assessment. Whilst it may be true that 'foresight' has been co-opted by industry players with no clue what it means (my view), to replace it with 'imagination' is an error. There is NOTHING that automatically equates imagination to looking ahead. It may do and is not a guarantee.
Fair to say foresight can be imaginative, but EVERY day we use our imagination to create an assessment of history. We just guess an assume we know what happened.
Foresight - contemplative of a future potential
Strategic foresight - structured approach to doing the above for a specific purpose other than mere contemplation
Gosh, missed this. This is not suggesting that imagination should become 'king' but it's an integral part of futures thinking. We can only imagine what does not exist yes? Foresight is a way of thinking as you write, but structured thinking constrains that thinking to the boundaries imposed by context.
I would say that foresight is a practice of disciplined imagination. Let's just say imagination is your raw material and that foresight turns these imaginings into agency and strategy.
Sorry, totally missed this. I would rather say that foresight is a capacity that allows us to have free imagination which then is interpreted in futures processes to reframe how we consider agency and strategy in a particular context in the present.