Strategic and Futures Thinking (Developing)

70% on-the-job learning

• Read your agency’s annual report, statement of intent, four year plans etc, to learn about your agency’s role, current issues, and strategic direction.
• Follow key policy topic issues in the media and think about the potential implications for your work, not just immediately but also over the medium to long term.
• Identify the strategic context for your work and whether your agency has any international obligations.
• Become familiar with material published by other countries about the future in your policy area.
• Attend other group’s staff meetings to familiarise yourself with their work and current issues.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
• Take the opportunity to contribute to workshops in your agency on its vision and strategic direction for the medium to long term.
• Read the Policy Project’s materials on futures thinking in the Policy Methods Toolbox.

20% learning from others

• Think about joining a community of practice (e.g. Strategic Futures Group) or an agency-based learning group focused on systems thinking and futures thinking.
• Discuss with your manager where your team’s work fits within your agency’s overall strategic direction, outcomes and work programme. Learn about the minister’s priorities, and the key future challenges and opportunities that the agency has to negotiate.
• Read an accessible introductory text on foresight/futures thinking, such as:
  • Thinking about the Future (Hines and Bishop, 2007)
  • Looking Back at Looking Forward (van der Duin and van der Steen, 2012)
  • Introduction to Strategic Foresight (Dr. Freija van Duijne and Dr. Peter Bishop).
• Explore an online compendium of futures tools designed for the policy context (e.g. the United Kingdom Government’s Futures Toolkit for policy-makers and analysts.

10% formal learning

• Consider doing a futures thinking course.
• Consider doing a strategic thinking course.