UNDP RBAP Foresight Playbook

The UNDP RBAP Foresight Playbook is a guidebook building on the insights that have emerged from UNDP's application of foresight in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, in order to shape institutional anticipatory decision-making processes to be fit for 21st century development challenges. It explores practical entry points and relevant tools by which UNDP stakeholders can integrate foresight into planning and design processes.

This playbook covers key foresight concepts: defining strategic foresight, the distinction between foresight and forecasting, and its application to anticipatory governance. It spotlights tools prioritized according to UNDP experiences with strategic foresight, which are organized by the overarching function they support: exploring the future, creating alternate futures, reimagining the future, transforming the future, and future-testing strategies.

• Horizon scanning
• Driver mapping
• Trend analysis
• Futures/implications analysis wheel
• Futures triangle
• Scenarios
• Reimaginging the future
• Three horizons framework
• Inclusive imaginaries
• Visioning
• Backcasting
• Wind-tunneling
• Road-mapping

Then, the playbook suggests strategies to integrate foresight into anticipatory governance processes, rather than doing a single workshop. It provides questions to opportunities and demand for the use of foresight. There is also a checklist used by the UNDP Pacific office to assess the potential value and sustainability of applying foresight tools withing a planning or programming context. Once the case for establishing foresight practice has been established and accepted by stakeholders, further lines of inquiry to determine which entry points are most likely to result in a sustained integration of strategic foresight.

It also shares examples practical applications of foresight tools, and guidance for regional horizon scanning

The UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific's Foresight Playbook is a comprehensive guide detailing various foresight tools and methods used to anticipate future scenarios and inform strategic planning. It draws on empirical learning from UNDP Country Offices across Asia and the Pacific, offering modules on driver mapping, horizon scanning, trends analysis, causal layered analysis, futures triangle, scenarios, three horizons framework, inclusive imaginaries, sensemaking, visioning, backcasting, wind-tunnelling, and road-mapping. These tools are designed to help stakeholders envision preferred futures, stress-test strategies, and create adaptable policies and programs that are resilient to changing contexts.

(Generated with the help of GPT-4)

Categories: 2022 publication year | Asia Pacific geographic scope | Asia and the Pacific geographic scope | English publication language | backcasting | causal layered analysis | driver mapping | empirical learning | foresight tools | future scenarios | futures triangle | horizon scanning | inclusive imaginaries | road-mapping | scenarios | sensemaking | strategic planning | three horizons framework | trends analysis | undp country offices | visioning | wind-tunnelling