What is Sensible Futures

Sensible Futures is a design framework and a methodology for co-creating and implementing better futures in your organisation. Ones that factors in positive impact for people and planet too.

It's a series of methods and activities (50+ and counting) laid out across five different stages, and a growing collection of workshop templates for you to tap into.

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Is Sensible Futures for me?

Sensible Futures is first and foremost for facilitators and designers: Those who put themselves at the centre of change, take the initiative and lead teams down the long winding roads.

We built it for change makers: Those who can see what's wrong with the World and are eager to rally people together to change it for the better.

Maybe you're a designer, a strategist, an innovator, a foresight practitioner, a researcher or futurist... it doesn't matter, as long as you are eager to take a leading role in driving change.

Facilitate Four Stages Of Change

We have four stages in our Framework, plus a Foundation Stage filled with amazing ice breakers and team builders. Here's a short description of the different stages:

Stage 1: Understanding The Present

The first vital step in anticipating and preparing for any future is understanding who you are, where you are standing, and who you have with you to drive the change. The activities in this stage will help you do that.

Stage 2: Building New Futures

In our second stage, we enable you to start building one or more futures through that bring story, context and meaning to the future visions you have as a team. The activities are great in helping you express what is otherwise very difficult to describe: The future.

Stage 3: Making Them Tangible

We genuinely believe that to understand anything, you have to experience it. Through our work, we’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is to do something different from another Powerpoint. That's why we have dedicated an entire stage to help you make your futures work tangible and experiential.

Stage 4: Making It Happen

You understand the present, you have built a desirable future for your organisation, and your stakeholders are all onboard… Now what? Well, now its time to make it happen, action it and be the change that is needed to take your organisation to a better future.

Foundation Stage: Icebreakers & Team Builders

The activities in our Foundation stage help you bring your team closer together and enables you to facilitate inclusive and joyful sessions. Creating a safe space among the participants is essential when thinking up The New. So, use these activities to ensure that everyone is equally ready to co-create better futures.

Why does it work?

Our framework is made in real life, with real clients, and based on years of trial and error.

On top of that, we have infused it with a playful, experiential approach to change-making: When we humans play, we are more susceptible to new ideas, and when we EXPERIENCE something, it is way more powerful than when we watch another PowerPoint presentation. Last but not least, it is scientifically proven that you learn better when using your hands. That's why we made as much of it as possible, hands-on.

How do I get started?

The easiest way to get started is to try our fun, informal half-day session with your team. That will give you and the team a taste of what futures thinking and doing could look like. Check out our Futures Starter Workshop.

We'll be adding more workshop guides and templates on an ongoing basis.

You can also assemble your own workshops, using our methods: See all of them here.

If you are the impatient type (no judging, we are too), you can also hire us to help you with your project / workshops. Just email us.

Example – "Børneriget"

Check out this small video from a semi-online Sensible Futures session with BørneRiget – the new Danish Children's hospital set to open in 2025. They wanted to develop future user experiences at the hospital.

Questions?

Awesome! Don't be a stranger