We offer three services to help clients design
Intentional Futures
with the people they share a future

Image of clock with blur of passing time

The future brings change

We help clients shape inevitable change through clear, creative, and intentional efforts to define the "what, why, and how" of the future.

Solutions

What we do

We work with clients to focus a research process on specific aspects of the future. Data is collected individually and remotely. Qualitative techniques are used to develop actionable ideas leading to a shared vision.

What you get

Projects are conducted online and create valuable results, such as: 1) Stakeholder engagement about a shared future, 2) Development of ideas and insights, and 3) Clarity of what, why, and how to manage future change.

Our clients

We serve people who believe the future can and should be carefully considered and thoughtfully implemented.

Clients include state and local governments, non-profit organizations, for-profit businesses, colleges, universities, schools, healthcare organizations, and start-ups.

Our method builds an insider's perspective of a future socio-cultural system grounded in the words, thoughts, insights, motivations, and aspirations of those who have a stake in that system's future.

Futures Research does a fantastic job of being client responsive. I am impressed how quickly interviewers grasp complex subjects and are able to get to the core both with their questions and synthesis. The results of the interviews provides data grounding not previously available.
- Bill (Perkins CLNA Manager)
I liked how it was organized, how quickly it all went considering the number of people interviewed, and the process of pre-interviewing folks before their actual interviews. This project reaffirmed that many current initiatives are on the right track, and that others on our campus are passionate about the same things our leadership is. It also allowed our institution to explore other ideas that haven't been discussed or haven't been at the forefront of conversations.
- Jaclyn (College Dean)
The visioning service provided by Futures Research resulted in unique and powerful insights that I would not have otherwise obtained. They are consummate professionals with a deep understanding of the methods needed to understand individual perspectives and combine those thoughts into a shared view of the future. I highly recommend this service.
- Mike (Strategy Officer)
It is helpful to have a 3rd party interview partners to build the future. Futures Research does a good job.
- Merilee (K12 Professional)
I appreciated that the interview was very conversational in nature. I was posed thoughtful questions as a starting point and from there the interaction felt very organic - not canned at all. It allowed me to think about the "past" and it really helped clarify for me what the future could look like. I'd never been part of a process like that before. It was insightful and very helpful.
- Josh (K12 Professional)
Creative way of making you think. Put into perspective the conditions that are needed to move a community forward. Very informative hour and a half that that left you feeling hopeful about the potential for the future.
- Bryan (Agency Professional)
I enjoyed the interviewer and our conversation around the questions. These are not questions/conversations that are discussed much at work, and when they are, it is often only those with the most power who get to be heard. It was nice to have these questions asked on me, to be able to share my perspective and vision about these issues and topics, and to be listened to. Participating in this project was cathartic and rejuvenating for me. It allowed me to vision and prioritize, leading to more focus in my professional life, and it reconnected me to my purpose in endeavoring in the work I am doing in the first place.
- Julie (College Coordinator)
The interaction was positive and conducted in such a way it felt natural and easy. The process and participation were easy to navigate.
- Kelly (Community Development Professional)
It was a fun conversation. It helped me realize that I have a part in the realization of the future reality, even if it's just my own small part - like cultivating relationships and contacts with the right people. The interview was interesting and engaging, and a good way to help have your voice heard.
- Angela (Agency Professional)
Relaxed and friendly. Helped me clarify goals and direction. It makes you think.
- Riva (College Dean)
Interviewer was organic in approach, created a nice "flow" for the interview process to feel collaborative and creative rather than basic answers. It created a space for me to convey my mindset and passion for students to get access and opportunities to resources and supports for their future planning. The work is difficult and complex, but through this interview I reinvigorated my focus to continue creative processing with college contacts to support students.
- Scott (K12 Professional)
I particularly enjoyed the "big picture" approach to discovery. The guided visioning approach allows for a broader discussion without necessarily brining an agenda to the table.
- Jeff (Rural Development Professional)
I enjoyed the process itself. The format and questions made me think - looking into the future and visioning how we could move to where we need to be was interesting. The interviewer was engaging and enjoyable to talk to. Futures Research has the ability to take you past the current, swirling issues, and into the future that you can help design and shape.
- Julie (Healthcare Professional)

Vision is the narrative for change

A story about the future describes desirable future conditions, the changes required to make it happen, and an explanation of why these changes are important, achievable, and worth pursuing.

Observations Log (blog)

Custom, scalable projects

Pricing is based on project size and complexity.
Choose from one of three project types

Project Types

Recent Blog Post
Focusing educational programs on climate crisis

Created: 14 August 2024

When working with certificate and degree programs, we are committed to assisting teachers, faculty, and educational leaders in focusing on key future trends to guide the evolution and investment in curricula, instructional design, partnerships, and recruitment strategies. Our "anticipatory approach" to program review and evaluation not only fosters optimism and stimulates innovation but also enhances the quality of our shared vision.

Many programs face challenges in…

See full Blog Post content

Solutions

We offer three solutions, each powered by our visioning method.

1 - Stakeholder Assessments

2 - Shared Future Vision

3 - Program Reviews

Method

Our visioning method is embedded in all project types (i.e., solutions) because it has proven to be an effective and reliable approach to elicit and analyze people’s ideas about possible futures. This method has evolved over time. Originally modeled after an anticipatory anthropological approach called Ethnographic Futures Research, our current inquiry method uses proprietary technologies that collect and code data (captured as structured conceptual units) describing future socio-cultural conditions. Our data coding system is designed to identify “ideas about the future” that aggregate inputs from multiple stakeholders and data sources. Within a specific project, these “ideas” are used to produce outputs such as vision statements, actionable goals, strategy blueprints, tactical logic models, and assessment rubrics for measuring success in efforts to attain desired future conditions.

1. Stakeholder Assessments

A solution for a group needing to understand and respond to the interests, values, and needs of the people they seek to serve.

Application

Contextualized insights on possible change. This solution engages the people who share a certain future describe as desirable and possible for their futures.

Output

Data set of insights derived from visioning stakeholder interviews (coded by meaning-making tags)
Aggregated ideas derived from data set
Various options for output formats (depend on client goals and budget)
- Written report
- Curated presentations
- Video of project findings (aggregated ideas)
Data, analysis, and other outputs from Stakeholder Assessments are INPUTS for Solution 2: Shared Visions of Shared Futures.

Impact

Individual impacts of each stakeholder include:
- Feeling included, heard, respected, and appreciated
- Clarity of desired future and required attainment actions
Client impacts for the “group” include:
- Contextualized understanding of stakeholder needs
- Specific insight on what they future can look like, why it’s important, and how to make it happen

Detail

Every project is different, generally these projects involve 20 to 50 stakeholders who are each interviewed
Timeline is affected by interviewee availability. On average, we are able to handle 4 interviews per day (20 per week)

2. Shared Visions of Shared Futures

This solution uses the outputs from Solution 1: Stakeholder Assessment, it is for a group needing to coalesce a vision informed by synthesizing stakeholder ideas and insights.

Application

Articulation of a group’s intention to organize and act toward the attaining of specific future conditions. This solution blends strategy and actions with context and meaning to define anticipated outcomes and map out the achievement of those outcomes.

Output

Detailed vision statement of a group’s shared future synthesizing facilitated reactions and inputs from stakeholders
- Logic model connecting desired stated results with stakeholder ideas and insights,
- actions (what, who, how, when), and
- anticipated measures of attainment
Actions populated in an online task tracking tool (includes first year of annual subscription)

Impact

Individual impacts range from:
- Feeling connected (included) in group’s vision to
- Understanding one’s role in attaining a shared future
Group impacts include:
- Clarity and coalescence around a shared vision of a shared future
- Flexible visioning frameworks (i.e., logic model and task tracking tool) allow alignment of goals and adjustments to actions
- Accountability and measurement of efforts toward vision attainment

Detail

This solution requires Solution 1: Stakeholder Assessment, which defines several important parameters such as number of stakeholders, depth of context, and complexity of desired future conditions
Timeline is relatively short, usually 2 to 3 weeks depending on the completeness and cohesion of ideas developed by Solution 1: Stakeholder Assessment)

3. Forward-Looking Program Reviews

A solution for organizations that need to review ongoing efforts and align with relevant and anticipated trends and forces.

Application

Evaluation of past performance, current conditions, and desired future outcomes. This solution blends organizational data, external data with stakeholders’ perceptions of the future.

Output

Enhanced awareness among key program staff & stakeholders of analytic result of past-performance data
Development of context affecting previous opportunities and challenges
Exploration of current and emerging opportunities and challenges affecting mission and approach
Articulation of a program’s desired future conditions, why those future outcomes are important, and how those outcomes will be pursued

Impact

Individual impacts include:
- Helping those “in thick of it” gain perspective and a fresh outlook
- Understanding how aligned stakeholders view the program’s current and future goals
- Identification and sequencing of actions to shape program’s future outcomes
Program impacts include:
- Realignment of programmatic strategy with mission
- Optimization of program resources
- Revitalization of program’s engagement with established and new stakeholders

Detail

This solution requires a series of meetings with key program staff & stakeholders whose availability will impact project timeline

Recent Blog Post
10 Questions about your Prof-Tech Program

Tag: Findings

Created: 16 July 2024

Below are 10 questions that could spark program improvement. These were derived from an on-going series of external assessments for Prof-Tech programs in which a futures-approach was used to align efforts with desired state outcomes.

To help these questions be applicable, each is presented in three lenses:

a. What to look for
b. Why it's important
c. Possible action(s)

Are enterprise approaches being used…

See full Blog Post content

About Us

Futures Research was created by Matthew Mitchell with the goal of expanding access to innovative services that help groups and individuals be more intentional about their futures.

As a graduate student, Matthew began using anticipatory ethnography to investigate systemic causes and socio-cultural impacts of the "digital divide." This work led to the application of futures research to several large public- and private-funded grant programs designed to build digital inclusion through access to technology and digital literacy.

Evolution

In 2004, Matthew applied a nascent version of an anticipatory ethnography method to bridge a major private foundation technology grant program into a state-wide sustainable initiative, which in turn prompted a state-funded technology grant program (called CTOP), that Matthew managed for a few years.

In 2008, responding to opportunities in industry and government, Matthew co-founded a policy research group focused on building national strategies to expand the availability and application of broadband services. Significant advances to the core visioning method were achieved through analytical innovations leveraging database and UX technologies.

In 2016, Matthew created Futures Research to focus on "mission-driven" clients. Futures Research found early success with non-profit and public-funded higher education clients. Technological innovation continues to play an important role in expanding access to the essential services of informed anticipatory research.

Central in all of this work has been an evolving research method to conduct thousands of visioning interviews with leaders of state and local governments, businesses, K12 systems, colleges and universities, non-profits, foundations, health care organizations, and other community anchor institutions.

Discover Change

Futures Research is an online, data-driven "change discovery" system. Our projects seek out the what, why, and how of change. We collect data from those who share a future to conceptualize and articulate ideas about the future. We help groups build visions of their future. We develop strategic visions for mission-driven companies, organizations, and groups. Our projects can be applied to planning, assessment, and engagement efforts of all types. For example, projects inform efforts like strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, outreach campaigns, policy formation, program review, board development, needs assessment, risk analysis, and identification of opportunity and innovation.

Data-Driven Futures

The future is too important to not be as intentional, thoughtful, and strategic as possible. This is why Futures Research exists: to help individuals and groups develop and pursue a shared vision of their shared futures.

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