Approach

We design with you to deeply understand the needs and desires of those you serve, to imagine what different worlds are possible, and to orient your present work within this context.

We do this through our seven entangled practices of visioning, foresight, strategy, research, systems thinking, facilitation, and evaluation:

Visioning

Imagine + Clarify

Imagine radically desirable futures and clarify the assumptions and values that underpin them

  • Guided visioning
  • Causal layered analysis
  • Value discovery

Foresight

Anticipate + Prepare

Anticipate possibilities for the future and prepare for uncertainty

  • Emerging trend analysis
  • Landscape scanning and positioning exercises
  • Scenario development and exploration
  • Foresight games
  • Speculative and experiential futures

Strategy

Align + Plan

Use desired and emerging futures to align present activities and plan ongoing practices

  • Backcasting
  • Scenario planning and wind tunneling
  • Innovation strategy
  • Principal creation
  • Business model innovation

Research

Listen + Synthesize

Listen to contexts, histories, and desires and synthesize insights

  • Interviews
  • Cultural probes
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Observation
  • Literature review
  • Probing and prototyping

Systems Thinking

Contextualize + Map

Contextualize your work within a system and map possibilities for shifting it

  • Systems mapping
  • Stakeholder mapping
  • Landscape scanning/positioning maps
  • Leverage point analysis
  • Causal layered analysis

Facilitation

Engage + Collaborate

Engage people in collaborative environments to learn and create

  • Workshops
  • Coaching
  • Presentations and webinars
  • Labs
  • Curricula & course instruction
  • Retreats
  • Conferences and events
  • Virtual events and facilitation

Evaluation

Assess + Reflect

Assess your current practices and reflect on possibilities for iteration and growth

  • Principles-based evaluation and principles audits
  • Guided reflection
  • Vision evaluation
  • Trainings for building reflective practices