When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
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Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 5 modules in this course
Reimagine what’s possible by learning to see the future through multiple lenses. This course equips you with tools to challenge assumptions, expand imagination, and make informed, strategic decisions.
This course invites professionals to explore scenarios beyond conventional decision-making. Through thought-provoking frameworks and interactive exercises, you’ll learn how to break free from limiting perspectives and lead with clarity and imagination. Whether you're solving organizational problems or planning long-term strategy, futures thinking empowers you to question the present and shape forward-looking solutions.
This module introduces the concept of mental frames and their profound impact on how we perceive and interact with the future. You will explore the various forms these frames can take and learn practical techniques to identify and challenge your own ingrained ways of thinking. By understanding and escaping your current frame, you will unlock new perspectives and foster more innovative approaches to future challenges and opportunities.
What's included
1 assignment7 plugins
Show info about module content
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Quiz: Imagining the future with a frame•10 minutes
7 plugins•Total 48 minutes
Imagining the future with a frame: Causes and resources•5 minutes
Imagining the future with a frame: Escaping your frame of thinking•7 minutes
Practice the solution: Mental exercises to open your mind•10 minutes
Job aid: The forms a frame can take•3 minutes
Reflect on the solution: Imagining the future with a frame•10 minutes
Opening your mind: Key takeaways•3 minutes
Apply the solution: Simplify an issue•10 minutes
Asking the right questions
Module 2•1 hour to complete
Module details
In this module, you will delve into the art of asking effective questions, a crucial skill for futures thinking. You will learn to evaluate questions for quality, identify potential blind spots in your core inquiries, and utilize tools like the Question Productivity Index to enhance your questioning abilities. Mastering this skill will enable you to uncover deeper insights, challenge assumptions, and gather more relevant information for future planning.
What's included
1 assignment7 plugins
Show info about module content
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Quiz: Asking the right questions•10 minutes
7 plugins•Total 56 minutes
Asking the right questions: Causes and resources•5 minutes
Asking the right questions: Evaluating questions for quality•5 minutes
Practice the solution: Blind spots in core questions•20 minutes
Job aid: Question Productivity Index•3 minutes
Reflect on the solution: Asking the right questions•10 minutes
Improving your questions: Key takeaways•3 minutes
Apply the Solution: Evaluate your question•10 minutes
Harnessing imagination in scenarios
Module 3•1 hour to complete
Module details
This module focuses on leveraging your imagination to construct compelling and plausible future scenarios. You will learn how to build possible scenarios, engage in effective brainstorming techniques, and reflect on the process of harnessing imagination for strategic foresight. By developing these skills, you will be better equipped to anticipate various future outcomes and prepare for them proactively.
What's included
1 assignment7 plugins
Show info about module content
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Quiz: Harnessing imagination in scenarios•10 minutes
7 plugins•Total 56 minutes
Harnessing imagination in scenarios: Causes and resources•5 minutes
Harnessing imagination in scenarios: Building a possible scenario•5 minutes
Practice the solution: Helpful scenarios•20 minutes
Job Aid: Brainstorming•3 minutes
Reflect on the solution: Harnessing imagination in scenarios•10 minutes
Thinking of the future: Key takeaways•3 minutes
Apply the solution: Building a scenario•10 minutes
Regaining power over the future
Module 4•1 hour to complete
Module details
This module addresses the psychological aspects of futures thinking, specifically focusing on overcoming fear and regaining a sense of control over an uncertain future. You will learn strategies to manage anxieties about the future, practice controlling these fears, and utilize tools like the futures triangle to frame your understanding of future possibilities. This module aims to empower you to approach the future with confidence and agency.
What's included
1 assignment7 plugins
Show info about module content
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Quiz: Regaining power over the future•10 minutes
7 plugins•Total 45 minutes
Regaining power over the future: Causes and resources•5 minutes
Regaining power over the future: Controlling your fear of the future•4 minutes
Practice the solution: Controlling a fear of the future•10 minutes
Job aid: Use a futures triangle•3 minutes
Reflect on the solution: Regaining power over the future•10 minutes
Don’t fear the future: Key takeaways•3 minutes
Apply the solution: Regaining power over the future•10 minutes
Course conclusion
Module 5•6 minutes to complete
Module details
This concluding module includes an end-of-course survey to gather your feedback and acknowledges your successful completion of the program. This module serves as a final step in solidifying your understanding and preparing you to apply your newly acquired futures thinking skills.
What's included
1 reading1 plugin
Show info about module content
1 reading•Total 3 minutes
End of course survey•3 minutes
1 plugin•Total 3 minutes
End of course survey•3 minutes
Earn a career certificate
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Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American Research University, creating an institution that is committed to excellence, access and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.