Future-framing

Future framing workshop

A workshop bringing together the elements of future visioning, co-creation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

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The reason for using the future framing method
Get a feel for the experience
The different ways to apply this method

The method

The future framing method’s goal is to co-create and build future visions incorporating AI technology in an overall user-friendly, accessible, and effective process. The method, brings together the thought, the dream and the plan. It guides a group from a vague thought of the future to a desired future state, and to create a plan to reach this state. The method is shaped by testing with a wide range of topics and many iterative cycles.

The method is designed for individuals, organizations, and professionals who are interested in envisioning and shaping the future. Users of the method can gain valuable insights, explore different perspectives, and collaboratively develop a shared vision of the future.

The toolkit

A toolkit was developed to translate the methodology and guide this process. The future framing toolkit is accessible and usable for everyone. It provides them with a comprehensive set of resources and methods to facilitate workshops, co-creation sessions, and discussions focused on future framing. Overall, the toolkit serves as a valuable resource for anyone seeking to actively engage in envisioning and shaping the future. It can be found and downloaded on this website.

Four phased method

The future framing method consists of four phases to facilitate the process. The image below shows the diverging and converging stages within each phase, except the final one. On the right, we describe each phase and its goal in greater detail.

1.Vision (re)framing

Collect information about the current situation regarding needs from clients or users, current (personal) experiences, a current vision (of the company), and developments in the field of the workshop topic.

The goal is to create a vision statement. This becomes the basis of the workshop.

2. future exploring

Generate ideas fitting the vision statement. The goal is to diverge and generate as many ideas as possible, focusing on different types of futures; positive, negative, and disastrous. All ideas are plotted on two axes to create an overview of all ideas. Each quadrant becomes a future world through the two defined axes.

3. future embodying

Elaborate on a world or chosen concept to discover it further. Each individual takes one future method to collect different findings and spark discussions. Afterward, the world or concepts gets translated into a future vision.

4. action defining

Build a timeline of steps through backcasting, going from a certain time frame in the future back to now. After this, the final card asks participants to commit to a short-term goal to start to set this future into motion.

Gain new perspectives on the future

The method challenges initial assumptions and explores out-of-the-box ideas, resulting in new perspectives on the future.

Clear structure and flow

The process is designed to provide a clear structure and helps to get into the flow.

Learn about new technologies

Learn more about effectively applying different AI tools in the creative process.

background knowledge

Design of the method

The method is shaped by testing with a wide range of topics and many iterative cycles. From short initial sessions to build a minimal viable method to longer sessions to dive deeper into the topic and apply more AI. Evaluation results from these sessions validate the positive impact of the method on participants through design criteria fitting the design goal. The majority of participants (out of 100 > participants total) expressed interest in joining another workshop. The design goal of the method was to spark empowerment and ownership in participants while creating their own desired future vision in a co-creation session, which is successfully achieved.