HYPERFUTURES

Futures studies is an academic discipline of studying the future. It is probably one of the weirdest scientific disciplines, as the subject of it, the future, does not exist. We use the word future in plural as multiple futures exist.

Professional futurists use a variety of methods to explore the future potential and create future visions, and to help decision makers to create preferable futures, define a strategy and help implement them.

Using the six-step foresight method (Houston, TFL) as a baseline, the foresight activities and services are always customised to the project needs. Working 10-25 years ahead, we are combining visioning and backcasting with weak signal research and scenario development. Our process is considered a collaboration with clients, to guarantee that outcomes are valuable, albeit challenging and viable for the client.

Our founder, Helga has 10 years of academic experience in the field of futures studies, and another 10+ years as a practicing futurist. She is a member of the Executive Board of the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF) since 2021, and also a member of Association of Professional Futurists (APF).

With an academic focus at heart, we are driven to bring futures thinking to organisations and decision makers.

With active participation in the global network of academic futurists, we are at the forefront of developing methods that push the boundaries of foresight and anticipation. Through collaborative efforts, we continually refine and advance our methodologies.

We are continuously in collaboration with other futurists, labs, educational and research institutions. Our main business partners are The Futures Lab, Inc. (USA) and Ethos (Abu Dhabi, UAE).

Weak signals in futures studies signal potential futures and emerging issues. Working with weak signals as a futurist is a delicate job, as weak signals are not defined by their probability, but their potential, and also, they are dependent on the observer: they are subjective, relative and uncertain.

The contextualisation of weak signals is the key to integrate weak signals into the foresight process. These signals are weak due to their dependence on the observer's perspective and their transitional nature (liminality), and we treat them as opportunities to shape the potential they substantiate.

We have a set of proprietary methodologies that allow us to find new weak signals and develop visions, scenarios and robust strategies based on them.

We do not work with existing findings, we conduct research for every project, including creative techniques, after carefully exploring the needs and requirements of the client and the situation. Our process allows clients to explore unimaginable possibilities by building preferable and viable futures based upon weak signals.

Design is more than just understanding the client needs: create a story and ignite curiosity and intention to interact and move it forward.

Practicing futures studies incorporates design: from visualisation of scenarios and delivery of summary reports that are easily processed by decision makers to design new custom exercises of foresight that is best fitting the futures studies project.

We understand the difficulty of bringing decision makers on board regarding futures. We have a wide range of experience of delivering, presenting and communicating outcomes of futures studies and other related activities.

Executive summary, research report, scenario storyboard with graphic design and animation, VR story design and narrative, keynote presentation, PR release, commercial ad, brand design or event branding with animation video - we have done it all. We are ready to explore the requirements in detail and customise deliveries accordingly.

Futures studies can be applied to any organisation to help leadership to make more informed decisions about the future. Bringing futures studies to an organisation can have many forms, from short consulting projects to establishing a foresight department and training staff in futures studies.

We work with government organisations and ministries, educational and research institutions, industry associations, deep tech corporations, large enterprises, startups and organisations across various stages of product development. We develop foresight projects with 10-25 year horizon, create visions, develop strategy and manage implementation based on a backcasting roadmap method. We bring workshops to organisations to enhance futures literacy in general and make entities and their staff future-oriented. We establish foresight departments, including foresight softwares and processes, embedding futures thinking into the decision making processes.

Our work is more customised, specialised and less expensive than other large consultants’. If you are interested, get in touch: Helga@HYPERFUTURES.dontsendspam.com.