Strategic foresight is sometimes seen as an oxymoron because “strategic” suggests planned action while “foresight” concerns an uncertain future. In practice, the concepts complement each other, sharing tools and ways of thinking. This short session introduces the core principles of strategic foresight.

Strategic foresight helps organisations understand how political, economic, social, technological and legal forces may shape the future and how they might respond. In a rapidly changing and interconnected world, long-term thinking is essential, as threats and opportunities emerge both within and beyond an organisation’s sector. Foresight narrows a wide range of possible futures into plausible and probable ones, using a simple four-step process to anticipate how business and societal developments may unfold in a VUCA environment.

The approach also encourages more creative strategic thinking through methods such as visioning and backcasting, allowing organisations to explore preferred futures and test strategic options. Ultimately, strategic foresight strengthens decision-making by offering a systematic understanding of alternative future scenarios. It is not about predicting the future — but preparing for it.