Envisioning the Future: Scenario-Building Techniques

A designer's mindset is concerned with shaping the future. This is an inherent quality made even more crucial by the rapid transformation the world is experiencing. The field of futures studies focuses on providing methods and tools that can serve this purpose. In particular, the scenario-building techniques presented in this chapter suggests that, while predicting the future is a very difficult task, it is important to use the knowledge of the present time to envision possible future scenarios. The knowledge allows one to then consciously choose in which direction to move, by retracing the steps that will get them there. This chapter presents a brief history of the discipline, its characteristics, its relevance for technology companies, and its practical application.