Policy Projects

ForesightNZ

Exploring New Zealand’s probable and possible futures

About

ForesightNZ is a McGuinness Institute policy project that aims to explore New Zealand’s probable, possible and preferred futures.

Our intention is to build public policy capability in New Zealand by encouraging long-term, agile thinking around our uncertain future. Initiated in 2008, ForesightNZ is about conceptualising the broad range of possible futures for New Zealand through up-to-date tools and conceptual approaches used in the field of futures studies. Foresight tools often applied by the Institute include the Cone of Plausibility, scenario development and backcasting.

Recent Initiatives

Revisiting Tomorrow: Navigating with Foresight

How to begin the hugely complex task of thinking about the future? – Margaret Hunn, Commission for the Future, 1981

On 30 October 2019, McGuinness Institute hosted a panel discussion between Rt Hon Jim Bolger and former members of the Commission for the Future and the New Zealand Planning Council, followed by reflections from several future thinkers on how we might embed foresight into public policy in 2020 and beyond. Learn more about the event and speakers here. Watch the recorded event here.

Assorted Publications

See a selection of our latest research and publications related to ForesightNZ below.

Newspaper

Āpōpō Journal

Foresight Playing Cards

Report 6