Course Overview
The context for this programme is a focus on the future, providing an understanding of a suite of future focussed tools that enable the preparation of long-term strategy plans. The modern policy maker is challenged by an increasingly fast paced world, and one where we have an enhanced understanding that decisions made (or not made) today will have consequences many years in the future. Futures thinking is an approach to identifying the long-term issues and challenges shaping the future development of a policy area and to exploring their implications for policy development today.
This programme provides an opportunity to understand and apply a set of research and modelling tools that can be used to support development of policy that is resilient to a range of possible outcomes.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the programme, participants will develop their understanding of long-term goal consideration, planning and delivery. The programme will enable the consideration of discontinuous change, interpret its consequences, and consider future courses of action in public policy making.
Specifically, participants will:
- practise anticipating important developments using a systemic examination
- examine how current risk management methodology informs our future planning work
- gather intelligence about the future
- explore the dynamics of change
- understand how to describe what the future might be like
- discuss applicability to the development and testing of policy and strategy.
Agenda
The value of the sandbox
Flexing the system
Horizons model
Linking futures and foresight to the policy and strategy cycle
Flexing the system
Horizons model
Linking futures and foresight to the policy and strategy cycle
Identifying ambition
Scoping and scale
Engagement – who do we involve
Scoping and scale
Engagement – who do we involve
Meeting specific business need
Exploring underlying issues or causes when scoping or defining a policy area
Determining a vision for a new policy area
Testing policy options for an existing policy area under time constraints
Testing policy options for a new policy area
Exploring and communicating the complexity of a situation
Identifying futures research and evidence priorities
Identifying and prioritising future opportunities and threats for action
Exploring underlying issues or causes when scoping or defining a policy area
Determining a vision for a new policy area
Testing policy options for an existing policy area under time constraints
Testing policy options for a new policy area
Exploring and communicating the complexity of a situation
Identifying futures research and evidence priorities
Identifying and prioritising future opportunities and threats for action
Horizon Scanning and the PESTLE framework
Seven Questions (including Shell and SAMI versions)
From Clairvoyant to Epitaph
The Issues Paper
Delphi – facilitation and engagement
Seven Questions (including Shell and SAMI versions)
From Clairvoyant to Epitaph
The Issues Paper
Delphi – facilitation and engagement
Driver Mappingand the PESTLE framework
Effective responses to complex situations
Calibrating certain and uncertain outcomes
Axes of Uncertainty
Identifying and prioritising drivers for change
Producing a scenario matrix
Effective responses to complex situations
Calibrating certain and uncertain outcomes
Axes of Uncertainty
Identifying and prioritising drivers for change
Producing a scenario matrix
Accredited by
International Centre for Parliamentary Studies is accredited by Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges and Universities (ASIC) which is an independent body providing accreditation services for independent, further and higher education colleges. The Institution has earned Premier status with ASIC for its commendable areas of operation.
ASIC accreditation helps students and parents make a more informed choice and will also help a school, college, university, training provider or distance education provider, demonstrate to the international student body that they are a high quality institution.