Think Forward: Conversations with Futurists, Innovators and Big Thinkers

Steve Fisher explores the crucial role of foresight artifacts in bringing future visions to life through tangible and engaging ways that make abstract concepts actionable.• Foresight artifacts can be physical objects or digital creations that illustrate potential futures• Humans connect more deeply with stories and tangible illustrations than abstract concepts• Artifacts like product prototypes or future news headlines make scenarios relatable and actionable• Well-designed artifacts provoke valuable discussions and uncover strategic insights• Creating effective artifacts requires identifying key shifts and choosing appropriate formats• Authenticity and relatability are crucial when designing foresight artifacts• Diverse perspectives enhance the quality and relevance of your future artifacts• Balance visionary creativity with strategic realism for maximum impact• Tailor your artifacts to resonate with specific stakeholders and objectives• Regularly revisit and refine artifacts as new insights and trends emergeJoin us next episode as we explore how to extract clear strategic insights and decisions from comprehensive world-building practices.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We explore how to vividly imagine daily life and human experiences within future scenarios shaped by transformative super shifts. Looking beyond technological breakthroughs and economic trends, we focus on how these changes will affect everyday people's routines, relationships, and experiences.• Effective strategic foresight must be human-centered, bringing daily life elements to the forefront• Major super shifts like digital transformation and sustainability dramatically reshape personal routines• A digitally transformed society might feature AI anticipating needs, seamless virtual-physical transitions, and personalized learning• Sustainability-focused futures could include circular economy homes, community agriculture, and transformed transportation• Practical scenario building requires identifying relevant super shifts and their implications for human experiences• Engaging diverse perspectives ensures comprehensive, authentic future scenarios• Balance visionary thinking with practical realism when creating scenarios• Tailor communication of scenarios to resonate with specific stakeholders• Regularly revisit and refine scenarios as new signals and insights emergeJoin us next time as we explore how to use tangible and digital artifacts to illustrate future scenarios and enhance strategic communication.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We explore how worldbuilding in foresight must consider the cultures and societies of the future, not just technology and economics. Super-shifts like eco-awakening and digital transformation are fundamentally reshaping cultural values, social interactions, and concepts of identity and community.• Culture defines how we interact, what we value, and how we build communities• Super-shifts are profound structural evolutions altering how societies function and understand themselves• Eco-awakening transforms social values toward localism, circular economies, and collective responsibility• Digital transformation changes our understanding of work, relationships, and concepts of presence• Effective worldbuilding requires identifying relevant super-shifts for your organization• Consider specific cultural implications of these shifts on values, norms, and interactions• Engage diverse perspectives to ensure comprehensive, inclusive future scenarios• Balance visionary thinking with practical implementation• Regularly update cultural scenarios as new signals emergeContinue to build thoughtfully, plan strategically, and always Think Forward. Find us on all major podcast platforms and at www.thinkforwardshow.com, as well as on YouTube under Think Forward Show.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We explore how thoughtfully designed physical and digital infrastructures can align with and actively support the significant super shifts reshaping our future. The environments and networks we create today profoundly impact what becomes possible tomorrow, just as electricity and the internet fundamentally transformed society beyond their technological functions.• Super shifts like sustainability and the age of intelligence demand new approaches to physical and digital infrastructures• Infrastructures don't just reflect super shifts—they actively enable and accelerate them• Practical approach begins by identifying relevant super shifts for your organization or community• Effective infrastructure planning requires stakeholder engagement and flexibility to adapt• Communication is essential when articulating the strategic importance of infrastructure investments• Diverse perspectives enrich infrastructure designs, ensuring they're comprehensive and innovativeIdentify one super shift significantly impacting your organization or community, then outline what physical or digital infrastructures are needed to effectively respond to this shift.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We dive into world building as part of the Spectrum Foresight method, exploring how to map future possibilities using supershifts, trends, drivers and complex systems. Understanding the deep, sweeping changes reshaping our societies at a fundamental level provides strategic depth for long-term planning.• Supershifts are powerful transformative forces like digital transformation and climate consciousness that drive significant changes• Trends are visible indicators and surface-level manifestations of deeper supershifts• Drivers are the underlying factors pushing change forward, including technological advancements, cultural values, and economic pressures• Systems mapping visualizes how supershifts, trends and drivers interact, revealing opportunities and risks• Balance complexity with clarity when creating systems maps and incorporate diverse perspectives• Practical exercise: identify one supershift impacting your industry, list trends stemming from it and key driversNext episode will focus on designing physical and digital infrastructures that reflect these mapped elements. Keep connecting those dots, imagining vivid future worlds, and as always, think forward.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Strategic worldbuilding transcends fiction to become a powerful foresight tool that helps organizations visualize complex futures and prepare for multiple scenarios. By creating detailed, interconnected future worlds, leaders can test strategies, identify opportunities, and anticipate potential disruptions before they occur.• Worldbuilding requires creating detailed, consistent and immersive future scenarios with clearly defined rules• Science fiction has influenced reality – Star Trek inspired smartphones, Blade Runner shaped AI ethics discussions• Effective scenarios must reflect the interconnectivity between technology, society, economy, environment, and governance• Start by identifying a core strategic question your worldbuilding will explore• Sketch the main elements of your future world across key categories before mapping their interactions• Avoid making scenarios too vague (lacking actionable insights) or too specific (quickly irrelevant)• Balance current trends with challenging scenarios that push organizational assumptions• Communicate your future worlds effectively using storytelling techniques to bridge abstract foresight with concrete actionJoin us for the next episode where we'll explore mapping future worlds through trends, drivers and complex systems.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We're beginning a new phase in our Foundations in Foresight series, focusing on the practical applications of foresight theory and frameworks. The true value of understanding future trends and models lies in how we implement and act upon these insights to shape our future proactively.• Practical application transforms theoretical foresight knowledge into strategic advantage• Organizations embedding futures thinking into planning consistently outperform competitors• Core principles include action-orientation, adaptability, systems thinking, and iterative learning• Start by choosing one foresight area relevant to your field and translate insights into clear actions• Identify leverage points where small efforts can yield substantial outcomes• Conduct small-scale experiments to validate approaches before scaling• Address common challenges like organizational resistance and balancing short vs. long-term focus• Develop appropriate metrics to measure foresight success beyond traditional KPIs• Take one concrete action today based on your foresight insightsIdentify one insight from your foresight journey so far and commit to taking one concrete, practical action today. Stay tuned for our next episode where we'll dive deeper into world building - a powerful technique for visualizing complex futures and facilitating strategic decision-making.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We've reached a milestone after exploring nine super shifts that are transforming our world, and now we examine what it all means when these forces collide and amplify each other. Moving from awareness to application, we're setting the stage for the next phase where we'll use foresight tools to navigate complexity and shape the future rather than just react to it.• Recap of the nine super shifts explored over 19 episodes: Generational Drift, Intellifusion, Techceleration, Reality Remix, Power Flow, Eco-Awakening, Social Quake, World Mosaic, and BioNexus• None of these shifts exist in isolation - their intersections create new possibilities and risks• Examples of powerful intersections: AI changing work while younger generations redefine what work means• Technology moving faster than institutions can adapt, eroding trust and creating space for decentralized alternatives• Climate awareness rising as energy becomes decentralized, creating new business models• Biology becoming programmable while technology accelerates, raising profound ethical questions• Transitioning from awareness mode to application mode in upcoming episodes• Introduction to the Spectrum Foresight Framework for tracking signals, building scenarios, and developing strategies• Challenge to identify which super shifts are playing in your industry and how they're interactingStart thinking like a futurist: pay attention to signals of change, look for colliding super shifts, question assumptions, and prepare to actively shape the future rather than just respond to it.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

We're concluding our two-part exploration of Bionexus, the massive convergence of biology and technology that's transforming everything from healthcare to construction. This episode focuses on practical navigation strategies and opportunities for business leaders, investors, individuals, and leaders as the bioeconomy expands.• Biology is becoming a general-purpose technology like electricity or the internet, affecting every industry beyond healthcare• Smart businesses should scan for bio-based innovations within their value chains and build partnerships with relevant startups• Cross-disciplinary collaboration between traditional sectors and life sciences is where breakthrough innovation happens• The bioeconomy will generate trillions in value across biomanufacturing, genomic data services, and regenerative agriculture• AI convergence with synthetic biology is accelerating protein folding, molecular design, and drug development at unprecedented rates• Personalized medicine with genetic screenings and tailored therapies will become standard healthcare within a decade• Individuals will face new choices about sharing biological data and navigating enhancement ethics• Leaders have a unique opportunity to shape this transformation with ethics, equity, and long-term thinking• The biorevolution is not just scientific but touches on identity, longevity, and what it means to be humanJoin us for Episode 60, where we'll integrate all nine super shifts we've explored and pivot toward designing new futures with the tools we've developed.ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

The BioNexus super shift represents a revolutionary convergence of biology and technology that's fundamentally changing our relationship with life itself, transforming everything from healthcare to agriculture and challenging our definition of what it means to be human.• Moving from studying biology to engineering it through synthetic biology, genetic editing, and AI-driven bioinformatics• Creating new biological systems from scratch, including bacteria that produce medicines and self-healing materials• Using CRISPR and genetic engineering to edit DNA with precision, potentially curing diseases before they start• Transforming healthcare through personalized medicine tailored to individual genetic profiles• Revolutionizing cancer treatment with molecular-level interventions that target tumors precisely• Advancing longevity science by treating aging itself as a potentially manageable condition• Developing agricultural innovations like lab-grown meat and genetically designed crops• Creating new biomanufacturing methods to grow materials at a cellular level• Confronting ethical challenges around genetic enhancement, access to technology, and biosecurity risks• Considering who controls and benefits from biological engineering capabilitiesTake a look at the industries you work in, invest in, or rely on. How is BioNexus already affecting them? What breakthroughs could change your business, health, or daily life in the next decade?ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.