How to Build Utopia: An Experiment in ‘Rapid Futuring’ to Create Action

#BuildUtopia #WF2015
How to Build Utopia
An Experiment in ‘Rapid Futuring’ to Create Action
Presentation + Facilitation Slides with Results + Process Captured

What is Utopia?
“Utopia is held together by commitment rather than
coercion, for in utopia what people want to do is the same as
what they have to do; the interests of the individuals are
congruent with the interests of the group; and personal
growth and freedom entail responsibility for others.”
Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Commitment and Community:
Communes and Utopias in Sociological Perspective

Welcome: Today’s Agenda
5 Teams
4 Processes
3 Methods
2 Futurist-Driven
1 Change-Driven
All to Build Utopia in 60 Minutes
...so let’s get going!

Principles of Operation
- Rapid Prototyping / Rapid Futuring
- Low tech (offline), meets fast thinking
- Context of today is largely positive
- Utopia, not dystopia; truly “preferred future”
- Speed is king
- Caveat: we’re taking away thoroughness for speed
- Specificity is queen
- “Yes, and”
- Limited, if not 0, explanation or debating (no “buts”) of ideas
- Self-formed teams, un-conference style

Where we’re going.

We will be creating a path to
utopia, starting with an emerging
phenomenon found today.

We will be creating a path to
utopia, starting with an emerging
phenomenon found today.
We will be using various methods and different ways to measure
impact to define what our utopia looks like, how we’ll get there, plus
mapping how Utopia is possible. Starting today.

Process 1
Un-Conferencing / Rapid Ideating to Form Teams

1A. Identify an Emerging Trend
Tool: Post-its, one trend written on each
Remember: Get specific, go fast, pick positive
Social
Technological
Environmental
Economic
Political
TIME: 1 MINUTE

1B. Collect Trends on Wall by STEEP
- Add your post-it trend to the wall under the appropriate STEEP
category
- Group related post-its within the given category
- Choose the trend / group you (personally) find most interesting
that also has the most shared interest
- Teams will self-form around common trends / interests
- 5 groups max; does not have to be for each STEEP area, can
have multiple under each, but can only have 5
- Prioritize which specific trend you want to focus on for your
group TIME: 5 MINUTES TOTAL

First Method
Fast Futures 101: Futures Wheel

2. Futures Wheel
What it is:
- Futures Wheel is a quick tool
to extrapolate cause and
effect of a central trend,
similar to a mind map
- Wheels are built by layers of
impact rings
- STEEP is a good framework
for thinking through your first
layer of effects
"Futures wheel 01". Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:
Futures_wheel_01.svg#/media/File:Futures_wheel_01.svg

2A. Build Your Futures Wheel
Instructions:
- Assign a team scribe
- Use your team’s selected trend at the center of your wheel,
draw a circle around it
- As you add each effect, draw a circle around it and connect it
with a line to its cause
- Try to complete one impact ring at a time before moving on to
the next
- Goal is to see what all the potential consequences or effects
of this one emerging trend could be, typically only takes 3-4
layers to get to full view

2B. Futures Wheel - GO!
Tools: One White Posterboard, 4 - 5
Different Colored Markers
TIPS:
- Use related colors for either
your rings or related effects
- Use STEEP to help build and
think through your first layer of
consequence
- BE SPECIFIC
- BE FAST
- “Yes, and” TIME: 8 MINUTES TOTAL
S
T
EE
P
Source: Mind Tools. The Futures Wheel
Identifying Future Consequences of a Change.
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/futures-wheel.htm

2C. Futures Wheel - Color Code
Instructions:
- Quickly highlight and connect all
the related effects and potential
outcomes
- Summarize / identify the main
positive effects and themes in
your wheel
TIP: Give different color highlighters
to different team members, work
simultaneously. Tool: Highlighters TIME: 2 MINUTES TOTAL

Second Method
Where we’re going and the transformation to get
there: “Three ‘Horizons’ in Three Minutes”

3. Three Horizons
What it is:
Three Horizons identifies both three different time
frames: now, transition or transformation, and the
future as well as three different trend slopes or
horizons of activity that often occur simultaneously.
Source: International Futures Forum - www.internationalfuturesforum.com

3. Three “Horizons” - Instructions
Tools: White poster board, marker

3. Three “Horizons” - Instructions
To build our horizons, in just 3 minutes, we’ll be simplifying to identity and map the
following along the time frames:
1. On a new board, draw three columns: now, transformation, future.
2. Write your summarized qualities from your wheel in the future time
frame.
3. Place your chosen utopian trend in the now axis.
4. Under your trend in the now column, draw a line and list the
qualities of today.
5. In the middle / transformation column, list what changes will have
to occur to get to your utopian state.
TIME: 3 MINUTES TOTAL

Third Method
A Plan, a Path, and Measuring for Change:
Theory of Change

4. Theory of Change
What it is:
- A Theory of Change often is cited or created in the nonprofit
world. It is a tool to create a pathway to measure, identify,
and map the work you need to do to create your intended
outcome - and how to ensure you know you’re achieving
success.
- Connects futuring to action.
- Backwards thinking tool
- Often a theory of change is accompanied by a logic model
Source: IDEX | International Development Exchange www.idex.org

4. Theory of Change
There are three main
components to a ToC:
- Preferred Long-term
Outcome
- Preconditions
- Indicators and
Interventions
Source: Aspen Institute, The Community Builder’s Approach to Theory of
Change, Andrea A. Anderson, Ph.D. www.TheoryofChange.org

4A. Long-term Outcome
Instructions:
- Place your emerging utopian
trend from your futures wheel
at the top of the board. Draw
an octagon around it.
- How would you define what
the trend looks like and
measure success? Write
answers under outcome at top.
- Be specific TIME: 2 MINUTES TOTAL
Tools: New Whiteboard, Marker

4B. Pathway
Tools: Post-its, Posterboard
- Use the transition points you identified from your transformation area of Three Horizons
diagram. Write each one on a separate sticky note.
- Using a different color post-it, write the qualities of today from your 3H “now” on separate
sticky notes.
- What has to happen in sequence starting from today to reach and actualize your utopian
trend? Paste your sticky notes in order.
- Fill in any remaining needed preconditions or events to construct your pathway to change
- Goal is to map back to our current future. Try to keep specific.
You will likely want to move them around (thus they’re sticky!), and some of your qualities of today may be
solved by your points of transition / what you’ve identified has to happen for change. You can paste the
together as a way to “check” what changes you need to account for.
Not all stickies may go in order, there may be different paths that work
in tandem to get to your desired outcome.
Now that you’ve identified your outcome, have you
identified all the preconditions or events that need
to happen for this preferred future to happen?

4C. Indicators and Interventions
Instructions:
- Identify on your related “paths,” what, if any, intervention
points are needed. Will change automatically happen from
one event to the next? If not, these are your needed
intervention points.
- Pick 1 intervention, potentially the one that you find most
influenceable or the one that is the closest to where we are
today:
- How will you measure success for this
intervention? What are the indicators? Be specific -
and be measurable.
- For your chosen intervention, come up with 3 ‘big’
ideas and 3 personal-sized ideas. (This is the most
important part.)

When we come back here in a year, what will
you have done to start building Utopia?
Write it in your notebook and write your personal intervention
on a sticky note and add it to the wall; if you want to be held
accountable, add your business card or email so we can
distribute it to the group.
(Discussion doesn’t end here -
back to seats (quickly and safely) please! :) )
TIME: 1 MINUTE

4D. How will you intervene?
Instructions:
- Each person grab a post-it note.
- When we come back here in a year, what
step will you have taken to build your
utopia?
- One minute. Make it easy, actionable, Go!
- Write your personal intervention. Feel free to
include your email address, name, or stick it
with your business card. This can be
anonymous or we can have peer support - we’ll
be capturing and sending these out post
conference.
- Paste it on the wall.
TIME: 1 MINUTE

Debriefing
What did you learn? What is your vision for Utopia?
What potentially surprised you?
What can you take away from these types of tools, work, and positive
thinking?

#BuildUtopia #WF2015#BuildUtopia #WF2015

THANK YOU!
Lea Artis
lea@katalartis.com
@leaartis
Jeremy Pesner
jp659@georgetown.edu

Documenting
Building Utopia
Results, Next Steps, and More!

Gathering ideas of current trends to form teams around STEEP framework.

The Social team focused on how increased sharing in social networks will lead to more inclusiveness,
opportunities, learning, and more caring.

The Technology team focused on Space transportation becoming accessible for everyone.

The Economic team focused on increased digital transactions and how that will result in individuals
becoming more empowered.

The Environment team focused on Energy Efficiency and the emergence of measuring EROEI as a
key driver: Energy Returned on Energy Invested.

The Political team focused on Social Inclusion and equal access to education as a driver and key
trend.

When we come back in one year,
what will you have done to build
Utopia?
Individual actions captured on post-it notes and shared with group post conference.

Learnings
1. Everyone thought the interaction and emphasis on speed and
building was awesome.
2. Everyone also thought we definitely need more time to do this truly
well, maybe a half day or another hour.
3. Some elements need to be refined in regards to balancing
directions with speed; team-specific facilitators could help direct
more hands on.
This was fun. A blast. Lots of great minds in one room coming together to make
something awesome all in an hour! Truly great. Can’t wait to see what’s next.

Resource Links and Notes
Futures Wheel
● http://www.emergentfutures.com/wpdl/Emergent%20Futures%20Consequence%20Wheel%20Tool%20Download.pdf - good worksheet overview
● http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/futures-wheel.htm
○ Additional resources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futures_wheel // a video example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFMvIUzSWyc //
another example http://www.slideshare.net/Breauxjw/futures-wheels-for-emergency-preparedness-futures + https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=g-3u0BMAYmI (slides may be better than video)
Three Horizons
● http://blog.hypeinnovation.com/using-the-three-horizons-framework-for-innovation
● Three Horizons Kit: http://www.iffpraxis.com/3h-kit
Theory of Change
● http://www.csi.edu.au/media/uploads/CSI_The_Compass.pdf (for quick scan, see pages 6, 12 - 14)
● http://www.aspeninstitute.org/sites/default/files/content/docs/rcc/rcccommbuildersapproach.pdf (3 - 7, also includes a facilitator guide on
creating a theory of change)
Other (Awesome) Methods We Wanted to Include
● Brain Sketching - Instructions and overview included at the link for how to facilitate - http://www.leadersagainstroutine.nl/brain-sketching/
● Causal Layered Analysis
○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImWDmFPfifI
○ Its utility is not in predicting the future but in creating transformative spaces for the creation of alternative futures. Causal layered analysis
consists of four levels: the litany, social causes, discourse/worldview and myth/metaphor.
○ Another good resource for diving into the method (page 4, 8, 13 for quick scan): http://www.soif.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Causal-
Layered-Analysis-Project-Report-final.pdf

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