Org360

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Horizon scanning is the systematic exploration of potential threats, opportunities, and likely future developments—particularly those at the margins of current thinking and planning.

The goal of horizon scanning is to:

Detect weak signals before they become strong trends.
Understand emerging issues before they disrupt.
Prepare organizations for multiple, plausible futures.
Inform strategy and policy-making with anticipatory insights.

Key reading: The Futures Toolkit

Types of questions

Open text

Number of questions

7

Author

Org360

License

Emerging Trends

1.1What emerging social, environmental, or technological trends do you believe will significantly impact our mission in the next 5–10 years?(open text)

Early Signs

2.1Have you observed any early signs (weak signals) of change in your community or sector that are not yet widely recognized? If so, what are they?(open text)

External Forces

3.1What external forces (e.g., policy, climate, economic, cultural shifts) do you think could disrupt the way our organization works or delivers impact?(open text)

Unconventional Actors

4.1Are there any new or unconventional actors (organizations, movements, technologies) you see gaining influence in our area of work?(open text)

Preparing for the Future

5.1What opportunities do you see arising that we are currently not equipped to pursue, but should consider preparing for?(open text)

Risks or Vulnerabilities

6.1What risks or vulnerabilities do you feel our sector is underestimating or overlooking today?(open text)

Vision Breakthrough

7.1If you could imagine a major positive breakthrough in our field within the next decade, what would it look like—and what would need to happen to make it possible?(open text)