Global Foresight Network

Foresight Terminology, Library of Methods & Metrics

Global Foresight Network's Workstream on Foresight Terminology, Library of Methods, and Metrics is a tool for the network and broader field to find common grounds on terms used in foresight. By common definitions, explanations, and examples, we can establish a productive and effective community of practice in Foresight and Anticipation.

The Foresight Lexicon

This workstream serves as a tool for the network and the broader field to speak the same language. By common definitions, explanations, and examples, we can establish a productive and effective community of practice in Foresight and Anticipation. This workstream aims to establish a common understanding on the terminology, methodology, and metrics used in the field of foresight and anticipation.

Have your own institutional definition? Please submit through the survey link below:

The Lexicon

Discover how to explore and address foresight, by the Global Foresight Network from A to Z:

A

Accuracy, Agency-Backed Modeling, Anticipation, Anticipation Culture, Anticipatory Governance, Anticipation Methods

B

Backcasting, Big Bets, Brier Score, Black Swan

C

Calibration, Causal Layered Analysis, Cognitive Bias, Cognitive Dissonance, Contingency, Complexity, Crisis Management, Crowd Sourcing, Cross-cutting Issue, Cross-Impact Analysis, Cynefin Framework

D

Deep Uncertainty, DEFT Framework, Delphi Framework, Driver, Design Thinking

E

Early Detection, Early Warning System, Ecosystem Mapping,  Emergence, Emerging Strategic Issue, Environment Scanning, Estimate, Evaluation, Experimentation

F

Forecast, Foresight, Foresight Culture, Foresight Methods, Futures, Futures Competency Framework, Future Cone, Future Proofness, Future Wheel

G

Game Theory, Governance Structure

H

Heuristic, Horizon Scanning Hypothesis

I

Impact, Indicator, Interdependence

K

Knowledge Gap

M

Management by Discovery, Measurable, Mental Model, Mitigation, Morphological Analysis

N

Narrative Inquiry, Non-linearity, No-Regrets Moves

O

Objectivity

P

Path Dependency, Plausible Future, Policy Game, Precision, Pre-mortem, Prototyping, Possible Future, Predicted Future, Preferred Future, Projected Future, Probable Future

R

Reasoning, Red Teaming, Resilience, Retrospective Coherence, Reliability, Risk, Risk Management,  Risk Register, Road-Mapping

S

Sandbox, Scenario, Scenario Planning,  SCQ Analysis, Sense-Making, Sentiment Analysis, Signpost, Simulation, Stakeholder Analysis, Standard Deviation, STEEP/PESTEL,  Strategic, Strategic Foresight, Strategic Foresight Matrix, Stress-testing, SWOT Analysis, Systems Thinking

T

Tactical, Three Horizon Framework, Tipping Point Analysis, Trend Analysis, Trend Audit

U

Uncertainty, Unknown Unknowns

V

Visioning

W

Weak Signal Detection,  Whole-pf-Government, Wicked Problem, Wild Cards, Wind Tunneling

Contact the Team and the Steering Committee

Have comments? Please reach out to the Foresight team and you will be redirected to the steering committee.

Learn more about other initiatives

The Global Foresight Network launched five initiatives to enhance foresight capabilities to different organizations.

Global Foresight Network

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