COURSE OVERVIEW

An introductory course designed to build confidence and competence in the growing area of Futures Thinking.

The course will cover some basic building blocks of applying Futures methods successfully, including being aware of the potential limitations of our own trained thinking, how to identify specific signals of change in the environment, significant contextual factors and hence undertake the creation of unexpected ‘Future Worlds’ in order to identify potential sources of disruption that can inform planning in the present.

Throughout the course, the value of working with, and learning from others will be emphasised.

Facilitator

John Carney is an experienced Futures Practitioner and scientist who works in the area of emerging science and technology (S&T).

Dr Carney has led the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory’s Futures Community of Practice, with cross-organisational involvement over the past decade. As an enthusiastic facilitator he is a strong proponent for participative Futures methods.  John recently designed and led a year-long project-based development scheme for Scientists in the area of S&T Futures, and he has led on the application of creative writing methods for Futures within his organisation.

Previously John has been Head of Knowledge Management, Lead Consultant for the pan-UK Defence Organisational Learning Strategy, Organisational Lead for Industrial and Academic Co-ordination and Team Leader for S&T Horizon Scanning.

John has recently been given a Lifetime achievement award for his work on Futures.

Dr Carney will be delivering this course as an independent and the training material and his experience do not represent the views of HMG Government.