People learn in different ways and not everyone has the same needs or time available. For this reason, we have structured the course for you to choose between different learning modes and preferences.

• Need to Know: Learn the core principles from our bite-sized lessons or podcasts
• Nice to Know: Need to know + read the full texts and engage in the exercises for a medium proficiency level.
• Deep Learning: Nice to know + read and view recommended material, engage in all exercises and connect with fellow futurists for discussion topical discussion forums.

TEST: What is your learning style? take the test

Choosing the Deep Learning track can lead to Kjaer Academy futurist certification or a Kjaer Global goodwill ambassador programme. Contact us to find out more or to discuss your particular needs and wants.

This course in practical trend management is delivered in 3 modules: Think, Work and Play.

THINK: To fully be able to use the practical methods and tool of the futurist you will first have to get into the mindset of the futurist. The first module covers the skills and habits that enable a futurist to work with the future in a consistent, credible and inspiring way. This is what we call the futurist mindset. You will explore the What and How and not least Why it will be essential to develop basic futurist skill in the future.

WORK: What does it mean to work as a futurist and where did the idea of thinking about the future originate? The second module Work, introduces you to the various methods of future forecasting and some key inspirational futurists and thinkers. You will learn how looking to the past help us understand the future. We will introduce you to whole-brain thinking and detail why it will help you see the Big Picture, while using intelligent reduction to extract the meaningful from the complex. This module is your insight into the Work of a futurist.

PLAY: The Play module of the course is where we get practical and play around with the trend management toolkit. You will learn how we manage the processes and where to apply core tools of our sense-making toolkit. You will understand why we use an iterative process based on design thinking and the best way to assess the impact of a trend. These are some of the concrete and practical lesson and exercises you will explore when you learn how to Play like a futurist.

The more future aware a person is today, the better equipped they are to influence and shape the future.

Introduction

• Welcome to the ‘Think Like a Futurist’ course!
• Introducing trend management
• The future is not somewhere you go…
• Trend management is a method and a mindset (or philosophy)
• Meet your instructor

For your first lesson, we highlight the importance of taking time out to think and why it is key to creativity, innovation and the future of leadership

Topics

• The value of time to think
• Corporate culture and busy as the hallmark of success
• Lessons from leaders who take time to think
• From short-termism to long-term rewards

In this lesson we discuss what it means to have the mindset of a futurist, the benefits of planning for the future and why this matters

Topics

• What does it mean to have the mindset of a futurist?
• Planning for the future
• Why does it matter?

We explore why lifelong learning is the new norm and how it can make you future resilient. We introduce you to the concepts of a beginner’s mind and visioning, and discuss how to harness the power of change

Topics

• Foster a love of learning
• Empathy and the beginner’s mind
• The power of vision
• A beginner’s guide to visioning
• Harnessing change (a positive outlook)

Now we know what kind of mindset we are trying to develop for ourselves, and in this lesson we look at some of the habits we need to cultivate to get there 

Topics

• Habits of a futurist
• The importance of intuition
• Informed intuition
• Critical thinking
• Intelligent reduction

Learn what we mean by whole-brain thinking, where it comes from and why it is so important to trend management

Topics

• Rethinking human decision-making
• A multidimensional model

How we can make knowledge meaningful? This lesson explains how the power of intuition and intelligent reduction are two routes to connecting the dots and extracting meaningful insights from complexity

Topics

• Sensemaking, knowledge and experience
• Creativity and how to cultivate it
• A model of reasoning and Occam’s razor

Module outro: Now that you are familiar with the THINK module – tapping into the habits, skills and thinking of a futurist – and also your own thinking style­ – it’s time to move on the WORK module.

Concern and interest in the future is nothing new, but its praxis is constantly evolving. In this lesson we will look at the origins of futurology, highlighting some notable thinkers through time, also introducing you to the most dominant methods of future thinking in use today

Topics

• The origins of foresight
• Futurology, a recent practice
• Scientific forecasting
• Social forecasting
• Intuitive forecasting
• Wild Card forecasting
• Key forecasting methods in brief
• Multidimensional forecasting – a holistic system
• Key Thinkers overview

In this lesson we explore how we can look to the past and present to make sense of the future. We explain how we use Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a lens to view the progress of society and consumption, and discuss why the future is full of contradiction and paradox

Topics

• History – an uneven curve of progress
• The evolution of society and consumption – a model
• Maslow – Hierarchy of Needs model
• Contradiction and paradox as norm

We present you with the case for the importance of a proper system for navigating the future. You will learn why there is a growing need for trend management and sense-making platforms. We also discuss how to ask the right questions in a fast-forward society defined by accelerating change and complexity

Topics

• Data, fake news and the interconnected society
• Balancing tangible and intangible insights
• ‘What if?’ as the driver of fresh thinking
• Sense-making in a fast-forward society
• Accelerating change and complexity
• Systems thinking and asking the right questions

Module outro: In this module we have learned that the crucial key to understanding the future is to first make sense of the past and present, and then connect the dots in a whole new way. In the last module we will get to PLAY with the futurist toolkit and get practical with the trend management system.

To kick-off the third module PLAY we introduce you to the various types of trends and definitions that we work with in the trend management process

Topics

• Definition of a trend
• The Kjaer Global Lens
• Structural driver
• Macro trends
• Micro trends
• Paradigms
• Black Swans and Wild Cards
• Stylistic trends and fads

In this lesson you will learn about the unique Kjaer Global 4P leadership model, how it originated, why we need a new model for business and society, and how the architecture of the model works

Topics

• Heart-led decision making
• A global shift in values and priorities
• Why you should care
• What drives the need for new models?
• A battle for truth
• Don’t miss out on meaningful dialogue
• ‘I participate therefore I am’
• Meaningful connections; values over value
• The architecture of the 4P Model
• A 4P leadership focus

In this lesson we will outline our trend management process and the rationale behind it, also considering why design thinking matters

Topics

• Non-linear approaches inspired by design thinking
• A process to reflect our methodology
• Breaking down the steps of a typical working process
• > Imagine
• > Explore
• > Reflect
• > Define
• > Refine
• > Activate > repeat
• The Trend management process plan and diagram

In this lesson we talk about multidimensional thinking and how it helps us apply a holistic lens to trend management. 

Topics

• Addressing a shortfall in traditional planning and strategising
• The multidimensional platform
• A holistic lens 

In our next and final lesson we will see how the multidimensional platform acts as foundation for the Trend Atlas.

In this lesson you will prepare for practical work and exercises. We will introduce you to our core tools: the Trend Atlas, Trend Cards, the Trend Compass & Index and, not least, the Trend SWOT

Topics

• The Trend Atlas – two types: Generic and Tailor-made
• How to use a Trend Atlas
• The architecture of the Trend Atlas
• Exploring the dimensions of the Trend Atlas
• The Scientific Dimension
• The Social Dimension
• The Emotional Dimension
• The Spiritual Dimension
• Introduction to Trend Cards
• The Trend Compass
• How to make a Trend Index
• Performing a Trend SWOT

COURSE WORK/PLAY BOOK > How to Exercises

1. Identify a Trend – trend scan globally and catalogue them in dimensions
2. Make a Trend Atlas – use a generic Trend Atlas and your own trends
3. Create a Trend Compass – using your Atlas, map your core macro/micro drivers
4. Perform a Trend SWOT – using the SWOT analyse macro trends one by one
5. Using a Trend Index – use your Trend Compass and score trend impact in your context