Foresight refers to a range of practices, methods, tools and techniques that help organisations actively explore, shape and manage the future. This includes understanding key drivers of change, possible projections into the future, and the implications of change on specific businesses, projects or contexts.

In today’s increasingly complex and rapidly changing global environment, the goal of foresight is to explore plausible futures and to make better, more informed decisions in the present, that are underpinned by a robust understanding of the driving forces and factors shaping change. This document provides an introduction to corporate foresight, and covers some of the basic foresight tools and methods that help inform strategic thinking, innovation and project delivery.

This publication provides an introduction to the practice of foresight, including key principles and methodologies, and examples of application within the context of the built environment.