What is a Futurist?

What is a Futurist?

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

A futurist is a person who studies and predicts the future. They are experts in their field, often having backgrounds in economics, sociology, engineering and other sciences. Futurists look at data, trends, and technology to make informed predictions and suggest innovative solutions for the future.

Futurists are often employed by companies and organizations to help them plan for the future. They can help create strategies to ensure success, or to help steer their organization in the right direction. They can also provide insight into potential risks, or ways to improve current systems and processes.

Futurists are also used to help develop new products and services. They can help to identify the needs of the customer and suggest ways to meet those needs. This includes evaluating existing technologies and exploring new ones. They can also provide a unique perspective on how the world is changing, and how it may shape the future.

Futurists often rely on data and research to generate their predictions. They use this information to develop strategies and plans that can help businesses and organizations stay ahead of the curve. This includes identifying potential risks and opportunities and developing strategies to capitalize on them.

Futurists can also help to identify and develop new markets. They can use their analytical skills to identify potential opportunities for growth and suggest ways to capitalize on them. This can be especially helpful in navigating a rapidly changing world.

Futurists can also use their skills to help shape public policy. They can provide valuable insight into the future and help to inform decision makers. This can be especially useful in helping to shape public policy in areas such as health, education, and the environment.

Futurists are an invaluable asset to any organization. They can help to ensure the future success of a business or organization and can provide a unique insight into the future. Some organizations choose to employ one or more futurists on staff, others don’t have a dedicated futurist role and instead assign it to an innovation or market research or strategy individual (or group) to perform. And still others hire an external futurist or agency to perform this group of responsibilities.

Does your organization employ a futurist?

Bottom line: Futurists are not fortune tellers. They use a formal approach to achieve their outcomes, but a methodology and tools like those in FutureHacking™ can empower anyone to be their own futurist.

Image credit: Pixabay

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One thought on “What is a Futurist?

  1. Pingback: So You Want to Become a Futurist | Human-Centered Change and Innovation

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