FUTURIST \ˈfyü-chə-rist\, n.

In it's simplest form, futurists are those who look to and provide analysis of the future.

Today, almost anyone can become a futurist, but those who regularly study the future know there are many terms, processes, and methodologies that need to be mastered and applied strategically in order to be effective.

(William Gibson coined the term "cyberspace" in his short story "Burning Chrome" (1982) ~Wikipedia)

The following resources will help provide a working definition of what a futurist is, what they do, the methods they apply, and generally how they approach their craft.

A Futurist is:

Key Terms in Futures Studies:

For-Learn:

Futures Study definition
Technology forecasting definition
Foresight definition
Key terms used in foresight: An A to Z of Foresight list of terms with links to definitions

Sohail Inayatullah metafuture.org: futures studies working definition
O Texts: online, open-access textbooks: Forecasting explanation
World Future Society: Dictionary of Foresight Terms and Definitions
i09 website: Terms Every Futurist Should Know
Global Forum on Agricultural Research: Glossary of Terms Commonly Used in Futures Studies

Futuring Processes:

Association of Professional Futurists: [the planning process]:

A futurist’s analytical process falls into five general areas:

Framing - understanding the current state of affairs
Scanning - looking for indications of the future
Describing - explaining or reporting on possible futures
Visioning - opening the range of possibilities
Planning - creating/implementing a future direction

"Thinking about the Future: Guidelines for Strategic Foresight," edited by Andy Hines and Peter Bishop. Social Technologies. 2007.
- Review by Patrick Tucker of Hines' and Bishop's book with processes listed and explained.

University of Hawai'i:

Jim Dator. (2009). Alternative Futures at the Manoa School. Journal of Futures Studies. Vol. 14(2): 1-18.

Components of a Futures Visioning Process (in order to be applied):

Appreciating the past
Understanding the present
Forecasting aspects of the futures
Experiencing alternative futures
Envisioning the futures
Creating the futures
Institutionalizing futures research

Sohail Inayatullah - metafuture.org

"Six Pillars: futures thinking for transforming" paper (PDF)

The six pillars of futures studies brief outline description

Futures studies: six pillars poster

Forecasting Methods:

There are numerous methods futurists employ at any given time to provide the most inclusive forecasts as no one method is all encompassing. However, by far the most widely used method by futurists and within the futures studies field is scenario planning. The following resources provide several explanations for scenario planning and some of the other more commonly applied methods:

World Future Society’s Futuring Methods [common forecasting methods]:

A few of the most common techniques for assessing and forecasting future events

For-Learn Futuring Methodology:
- "Foresight studies rely on a wide variety of methods. Some of these methods can be applied in different ways. Choosing and applying the right method for a specific exercise is a crucial step in any Foresight process. Each method is best suited to certain specific objectives, context, resources, culture and the mindset of the team and participants, and will prove inadequate if these conditions are not met."
- Description of main methods interactive table

The RAND Corporation Futures Methodologies:

Institute for the Future (IFTF) Foresight Tools:

Foresite Tools and descriptions main page

Signals
Scenarios
Forecasts + Perspectives
Maps
Artifacts from the future
Immersive videos
Collaborative forecasting games

Foresight engine
MMOWGLI: (Massive Multiplayer Online Wargame Leveraging the Internet)

It is an "online multiplayer game used by the US Navy Office of Naval Research and other U.S. government agencies to perform online wargames in order to study various problems and hypothetical scenarios."

Roadmapping:

Acceleration Studies Foundation

ASF "is an educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit engaged in outreach, education, research, and selective advocacy with respect to issues and processes of accelerating change."

Roadmapping: A Collaborative Foresight Tool

Albright Strategy Group

Roadmaps and Roadmapping, Technology Futures, Strategy

Richard E. Albright, Ph.D. "brings more than 25 years of experience in technology planning, strategy development, systems engineering and product development to clients in industry and government."

Ten Reasons to Roadmap

Environmental Scanning:

ASAE: The Center of Association Leadership

The Basics of Environmental Scanning

Journal of Extension

JOE "is the official refereed journal of the U.S. Cooperative Extension System."

It "expands and updates the research and knowledge base for Extension professionals and other adult educators to improve their effectiveness" and "serves as a forum for emerging and contemporary issues affecting Extension education."

A 10-Step Process for Environmental Scanning

Backcasting:

The Natural Step

Their vision is for "a world in which human society thrives within nature's limits" and their mission is "to enable the actors within society to use sustainability as a set of design principles to innovate, succeed and co-create vibrant futures together."
What is backcasting?

Cognitive Edge Network

CEN "is at the leading edge of developing approaches that allow organisations to absorb uncertainty, create resilience and detect weak signals which more conventional approaches would ignore."
Backcasting

SWOT Analysis:

MindTools: Essential skills for an excellent career

SWOT Analysis

The Impact of Technology on Business: University of Waterloo, Canada

This is a class site which supports a course in The Strategic Management of Technology, offered by the Department of Management Sciences.

The course "considers the integration of information technology strategy and business strategy and the impact that information technology can have in many areas of business activity."

SWOT Analysis: Putting technology into Corporate Planning