The Future Search Conference

This large group methodology is based on the work of Eric Trist and Marvin Weisbord. The theory is based on 4 basic premises:

We can learn from our history.
Planning which focuses only on "fixing today's problems" often begets new problems.
People will commit to plans they have developed.
Strategic change needs multiple linkages and diversity of viewpoints.

The Future Search Conference design engages 60-80 representative stakeholders who move together through four highly structured, distinct stages of work, each of which builds on the previous one. This two or three-day event provides the opportunity to review the events of the past; to identify the demands and factors that influence the present; and to design a future that will build on the organization or system’s values and past successes, while addressing present concerns and future needs. Throughout the course of the event, participants organized in various configurations generate data, create a shared picture, present to the whole, and then search for commonalities to build a consensus on themes. A planning segment concludes the Conference to ensure that the themes of the Conference are accurately represented and articulated to the appropriate body guiding next steps.

The outcomes of a Future Search Conference include:

Shared understanding of common history on multiple levels
Shared perspective of the present environment and circumstances and their impact on the client organization or system
Shared vision of the stakeholders’ preferred future for the organization or system
Development of themes and strategies for moving toward the vision

Mindmap

The Future Search Conference