Future Search

Brief Description:

A Future Search conference is a way for a community or organisation to create a shared vision for its future. It engages a large group of stakeholders who take part in a highly structured process lasting ideally two and a half days.

Description:

A Future Search conference is a way for a community or organisation to create a shared vision for its future.

It enrols a large group of stakeholders who are chosen because they have power or information on the topic at hand or are affected by the outcomes.

Examples of such groups are health care users, young people or shopkeepers. They take part in a highly structured process, which ideally lasts two and a half days but sometimes only one.

Used For:

Creating a shared vision combined with the energy to make it happen.

Suitable participants:

Participants are a large group of stakeholders selected because they have power or information on the topic at hand or are affected by the outcomes.

Cost:

Usually between £5,000 and £20,000

Time Requirements:

Ideally two and a half days but sometimes two or only one

When To Use / What It Can Deliver:

You should use Future Search when you want commitment from all stakeholders and when the most important thing is to generate energy for action.

Future search can deliver energy, shared vision, action and can be used to make decisions.

When Not To Use / What It Cannot Deliver:

You should not use Future Search when you are not prepared to put the work in to 'get the whole system in the room'. It may not work if some stakeholders are missing,

Also it may be difficult when the task is imposed, for example by a funder, and it is not what the people in the room are most passionate about.

Future Search cannot deliver action without good follow-up structures in place. Also the method is not very useful on an issue that isn't central to the lives of participants.

Strengths:

• Everyone with a stake in the issue is in the room, which produces a rich mixture of information and ideas;
• Proposals are more likely to be acted upon if all stakeholders feel committed to them;
• People are encouraged to explore what they feel about an issue as well, as what they think about it.
• The event is designed to help participants understand and appreciate the agendas of others, which helps them to enlarge the common ground they share with others. It is hoped that if a shared vision is created it will inspire participants into the future;
• People are often energised by seeing that complex issues can be tackled when the whole system is present, when they can identify common ground with other people, develop a shared vision and agree concrete actions.

Weaknesses:

• Needs a lot of time and energy to organise;
• It can be hard to convey the energy and excitement of participants to non-participants;
• Needs careful follow-up to support action groups at a time when organisers are usually pretty exhausted.

Origin:

Organisational development

Originated in the UK some 40 years ago, but was developed in the US by Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff.

Case Studies:

Related Methods

Restrictions In Use

Further Information

Contact: Open Futures
10 West Savile Road,
Edinburgh EH16 5NG
Telephone: 0131 668 4377
Fax: 0131 668 4379
Email: k@napuk.demon.co.uk
Web: http://www.openfutures.com/

Web Links:

Future Search Network (International): http://www.futuresearch.net/

Popular Methods

21st Century Town Meeting

Citizens Jury

Deliberative Polling

Open Space

Participatory Appraisal

Participatory Budgeting