The document outlines six activities that can help organizations with foresight: framing, scanning, forecasting, visioning, planning, and acting. Framing involves adjusting attitudes, understanding objectives, and creating strategic work environments. Scanning requires mapping systems, studying history, scanning environments, and involving colleagues. Forecasting identifies drivers and uncertainties to generate and prioritize alternative futures. Visioning identifies implications and assumptions to develop visionary thinking. Planning develops strategic options. Acting communicates results, creates action agendas and intelligence systems, and institutionalizes strategic thinking. The document provides percentages of benefits for each activity and contact information for Andy Hines of the University of Houston Foresight program.

1. 1
Andy Hines
Houston Foresight Program
August 2014

2. Framing
2
Help the Organization Identify and
Solve the Right Problems
1.1 Adjust attitudes
1.2 Know the audience
1.3 Understand the rationale and
purpose
1.4 Set objectives
1.5 Select the team
1.6 Create a strategic work
environment

3. Scanning
3
Help Organizations Understanding
What’s Going On Out There
2.1 Map the system
2.2 Study history
2.3 Scan the environment
2.4 Involve colleagues and
outsiders

4. Forecasting
4
Help Organization Consider a Range
of Future Possibilities
3.1 Identify drivers and uncertainties
3.2 Choose forecasting technique(s)
3.3 Diverge--generate ideas
3.4 Converge--prioritize ideas
3.5 Form alternative futures

5. Visioning
5
Help Organizations Decide What
They Want to Be in the Future
4.1 Identify implications
4.2 Challenge assumptions
4.3 Think visionary

6. Planning
6
Help Organizations Create a Pathway to
the Future
5.1 Think strategically
5.2 Develop strategic options

7. Acting
7
Help Organizations Translate Foresight
into Action…on an Ongoing Basis
6.1 Communicate results
6.2 Create an action agenda
6.3 Create an intelligence system
6.4 Institutionalize strategic thinking

8. Benefits of Foresight
8
Activity Benefits
FRAMING (22%) 1. Thinking more diverse open, balanced and non-biased (9%)
2. Focusing on the right questions and problems more clearly (7%)
3. Being aware of, and influencing, assumptions and mental models (6%)
SCANNING (16%) 4. Understanding the context, in all its complexity, through establishing
frameworks (5%)
5. Anticipating change and avoiding surprise (10%)
FORECASTING
(22%)
6. Producing more creative, broader, and deeper insights (16%)
7. Identifying a wider range of opportunities and options (5%)
VISIONING (10%) 8. Prioritizing and making better and more robust decisions (10%)
PLANNING (7%) 10. Constructing pathways from the present to the future that enable
rehearsing for the future (7%)
ACTING (23%) 10. Catalyzing action and change (7%)
11. Building alignment, commitment and confidence (14%)
12. Building a learning organization (2%)

9. Contact Info
9
Andy Hines
U of Houston FORESIGHT
Asst. Professor & Program Coordinator
ahines@uh.edu
832 367 5575
Principal, Hinesight
www.andyhinesight.com