Start here – Interpretation of the future and choices

The future does not just happen by itself; we can influence it. Therefore, it is not enough to simply scan trends and signals. The trends and weak signals also need to be interpreted. The interpretation is about thinking about what the trends and weak signals mean from the point of view of the theme surveyed and aiming to link the possible future developments to your own day-to-day life. In other words, interpretation involves making the future ordinary and thinking about the impacts of the activities of your own organisation.

What is essential in the interpretation is to think about your own relationship with the future and how you perceive your ability to influence it. What is desirable, what is not? And what can be influenced and what should be adapted to? It is a good idea to keep in mind that even though some developments might seem inevitable, the future can always be influenced.

The following blogs and tools will help you to identify what to focus on, what the different paths of development mean from the point of view of a specific theme and what we take as given with regard to the future.