Take your community and members to 2040. Come back with initiatives to build it.
Foundations and industry associations bring their community and members into one room. Together they step into 2040, agree on the future they want, and come back with initiatives that get them there.
Why start in the future
Most plans start with today's problems and never get far beyond them.
A time jump gets the room past them, so every session starts in 2040. Everyone steps into an ordinary day there and looks around at the work, the streets and who's doing well. Once a room has seen the same future, it's far easier to agree on what to build.
Surplus rooftop power goes back to the grid at token rates.
A neighbour buys it directly, peer to peer.
Hundreds of people shape what happens next, and they move faster once they've seen the same future.
How it works
Jump forward, look back, then build.
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Jump forward and see 2040.
Everyone steps into an ordinary day in 2040 and describes what they see.
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Look back and agree the path.
The room agrees on the future worth building and works out what has to happen first.
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Build the initiatives.
Teams shape initiatives to get there and test them.
The method
One method in four parts, used together.
- F
Futures thinking
Builds a picture of 2040 the whole room agrees on.
- S
Systems thinking
Maps the people, money and rules around a problem.
- D
Design thinking
Checks ideas with the people they’re for.
- B
Business thinking
Gives each initiative a model that outlasts its first grant.
- AI
AI
Runs through all four, and every picture of 2040 allows for how it will change daily life.
The three tests
Every initiative leaves with answers to three questions.
- Desirable
- Do the people it's for actually want it?
- Viable
- Can it keep going through funding or earnings, counting social and environmental returns?
- Feasible
- Can your organisation and its partners deliver it with what they have or can get?
Initiatives that pass all three are ready to fund and run.
What you leave with
One future, and the initiatives to reach it.
One picture of 2040, shared by everyone in the room.
Artefacts from 2040 to show your members and the press.
Milestones for 2030 and the year ahead, each with an owner.
A shortlist of initiatives to fund and run.
A team that can run this kind of futures work again.
Formats
Three ways to run it.
Half-day
Your leadership teamYour team steps into 2040 and decides what to explore with members.
Most organisations start here.
One day
Community and membersA bigger room jumps to 2040 and comes back with initiatives.
Works as an annual convening.
Multi-session
Over several weeksInitiatives go from idea to plan and end in a public exhibition.
Works as a community lab.
It also works for clubs, resident groups and city bodies planning for their own neighbourhood or town. Tell me about yours
Facilitator
Tarun Durga
I'm a strategic designer based in Mumbai, with 25 years across Deloitte Digital, Dentsu and founder-led ventures.
Get in touch
Host a session for your community and members.
Tell me about your organisation, the people you work with and what you'd like them to build, and I'll reply within two working days.