Horizon scanning- tips and tricks: A practical guide
This is a practical guide intended to develop scanning capabilities within the European Environment Agency (EEA) and European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet). It offers simple, step-by-step instructions on how to frame, run, and analyze results of a systemic horizon scan with limited resources. It focuses on developing a daily practice without the use of automation, advanced tools, or time-intensive processes.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Report location: | permalink |
| Language: | English |
| Publisher: | European Environment Agency |
| Publication date: | June 29, 2023 |
| Authors: | Ana Jesus, Anne Jacod, Florian Wolf-Ott, Graciela Guadarrama Baena, Karin Fink, Klaus Kammer, Matthias Weber, Miklós Marton, Paavo Lammert, Sylvia Veenhoff, Tanja Schindler, Teoman Sanalan, Tereza Kochová, Totti Könnölä |
| Page count: | 58 |
Methods
The research method used in the report is horizon scanning, which involves systematically scanning various sources to detect early signs of potentially important developments.
(Generated with the help of GPT-4)
Key Insights
This guide begins with key futures literacy concepts such as:
- Key differences between horizon scanning and environmental scanning
- One future vs. multiple futures
- Predicting the future vs mapping the future
- Cognitive biases affecting foresight practitioners
Then, it lays out a step-by-step guide for how and where to scan. the four main steps are:
- signal spotting- how to frame the scan and where to find signals
- signal scanning- outlines frameworks to use for best results
- sense-making- understanding the signals collected and understanding the insights
- communication- how to share the results
Additional Viewpoints
Categories: 2023 publication year | English publication language | drivers | emerging issues | environmental scanning | futures literacy | horizon scanning | megatrends | patterns | trends | weak signals | wild cards