anticipating the future - a short course

-- a university of arizona course on methods and approaches for studying the future

This is a window into a more comprehensive course "anticipating the future" that can be used as a quick self study short course. There are about 20-40 pages of material depending if you print the primary pages only or everything (and the font settings on your browser). Links at the bottom will take you to the full course for additional exploring. This short course can be used as a refresher on futures studies or as an quick introduction to the subject if your primary interest is strategic planning or an assessment of near term possible futures for specific subject areas.

1. Overview and suggested learning framework

• Summary of what is on this site and how to use it

• Futures in a nutshell

• Brief book reviews

• The big picture (relating futures to planning and assessment)

• A short overview of approaches and tools

 

2. Techniques and approaches

• Futures Techniques (brief summaries of 15 techniques)

• Building blocks - paradigms, driving forces, trends

• Short listing of data sources for driving forces and trends

• Understanding what you don't know, uncertainties, and change

• Putting it all together - scenarios and the big picture

 

3. Examples and sites to explore

• Examples of futures studies

• Futures organizations

• Futures relevant web sites

• Reference subjects and libraries

• A range of different sites for your exploring pleasure

• My views (Roger Caldwell)

 

4. Want more detail? Move to the full course on Anticipating the Future

• Home page - key areas and quick links

• Site map

 

Feedback for making improvements in the short course would be appreciated.

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Return to "Anticipating the Future" course home page
Prepared by Roger L. Caldwell