Future Search Method
The Future Search method is a unique approach to planning that has been used by thousands of communities and organisations across all continents.
It is based on certain principles (the Future Search principles) which have been proven over much of the last Century to result in highly successful meetings. It enables large diverse groups to find common ground, take responsibility for action, and generate commitment to implementation.
General Outline
A Future Search may involve 50-100 or more participants. People work in different ways, sometimes as one large group, other times in small groups (as either stakeholder groups or mixed groups that represent a cross section of the whole). Every person has a chance to speak and listen. This makes possible a shared picture based on the experience of all those present. It consists of four half-day sessions, spread across three days to ensure that there are more breaks between work time and so that the final session of action planning happens in the morning when people are fresh. (Where it is not easy for attendees to get together afterwards and review their action plans, the final session is sometimes extended beyond 4 hours.) Such an intensive planning meeting often sets the stage for projects that continue with high involvement months and years afterwards.
Outcomes
Utilised properly, Future Search method achieves the following outcomes:
- an opportunity for attendees to have their say
- a pool of constructive projects and ideas,
- total agreement on key strategic areas,
- creation of a task force for each area,
- a plan of action for each area
- input on general follow up
- learning as to this different way of participative engagement and action
- fast implementation
How Can It Be Applied?
A Future Search can be run around any systemic issue that is worth the time and effort involved.
For organisations, this has included strategic planning, getting implementation around an existing plan, client service, marketing, mergers and acquisitions - literally anything that is important and relates to the whole.
For communities, this has included strategic planning, visioning, economic development, prosperity, health, mental health, wellbeing, sustainability, youth, education, or transportation - to mention just some.
Conditions for Success
Meeting the conditions for success is critical to maximising the outcomes of any Future Search. It is a mistake to think that significant changes in behaviour can occur under much shorter time frames and less than ideal conditions.
In addition to the time frames, the other conditions are those mentioned under Future Search Principles.
Making sure that these conditions are met requires detailed planning which is best undertaken by a Planning Group that consists of a cross section of all relevant internal and external stakeholder groups.
The Meeting Agenda
One of the powers of Future Search lies in its simplicity. The agenda consists of four sessions: Past, Present, Future (including Common Ground) and Action.
During each, the participants develop data or information and then makes meaning of that data or information (usually in small groups reporting to the whole, followed by large group dialogue).
Engaging More Than 100
Although it is unusual to run a Future Search with more than about 100 people in the room, it is possible to run parallel or sequential conferences to engage more people.
It also possible to conduct sessions before and after the Future Search to get input from and involve people who won’t be attending the Future Search.
Understandable Scepticism
Most people have been in meetings of 10 or 20 people that did not produce productive outcomes. So there is understandable scepticism from people who have not witnessed this approach.
Potential users are also often wary of their ability to facilitate attendance for the full 16 hours. Generating this attendance represents the most important job of the Planning Group and the effort involved should not be underestimated.
However, it is worth keeping in mind that:
(1) Most people have not experienced the type of process that is used for achieving this (for one description of such a process, see the report 13 Steps to Community Engagement - Raising the Right Crowd),
(2) It is often the case that people are willing to attend longer meetings where they believe that the outcomes will be worthwhile than shorter unproductive meetings.
(3) If you invite people for 16 hours and find that you are not getting the attendance, it is always possible to subsequently reduce the time (and outcomes). What is not possible is to set a time period and then increase it.
(4) Those who have not seen this approach misunderstand the benefits it can bring. Provided you trust your facilitators, it is worth putting a lot of time into getting the right people to attend. The pay off will be worth the effort.
(For more ideas on generating engagement, check out 13 Steps to Community Engagement, most of which applies equally to organisations as well as communities.)
In a Future Search, participants often set aside stereotypes and untested assumptions as they discover what can be accomplished in this new setting, Most future search participants, given access to information, resources, and people in authority who usually are not available all at once, will make effective action plans that none of them thought were previously possible.
-
Latest News
Advanced Meeting Leadership Workshop for Leaders and Consultants, with internationally renowned US authors and consultants Marv Weisbord and Sandra Janoff of Future Search fame. Sydney. October 2008. Large discounts for first 20 registrants! ยป More details
Download Registration Form and Brochure
