15-20 Minute Paper
Greg Van Alstyne and Gabe Sawhney
OCAD University
Biographies
Greg Van Alstyne is a futurist, design researcher, and co-founder of Strategic Innovation Lab (sLab) at OCAD University. Spanning more than twenty-five years, Greg’s professional career includes strategic design, foresight and innovation consulting.
Gabe Sawhney is a researcher, strategist and creative technologist who has worked in mobile, web, video and interactive installation. He studied architecture, film and semiotics at the University of Toronto, was a resident at the CFC Media Lab in 2002, and is currently pursuing a Master of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation at OCAD University.
Abstract
If we could glimpse possible futures of media in the next decade, what would we see and feel? What might we do differently? 2020 Media Futures is an ambitious, yearlong study of disruptive change and invention in Canada’s creative content industries. The project blends art and science, creativity and evidence, individual expertise and open participation, through the methodology known as Open Strategic Foresight.
Led by Strategic Innovation Lab (sLab) and students from OCAD University’s Master of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation, this project used horizon scanning, trends extrapolation, scenario fiction, commissioned illustration, HD video, cross-platform on-demand publishing and other contemporary techniques to uncover insights, marshal attention and provoke creative responses.
In this session we’ll delve into specific techniques and surprising findings with project lead Greg Van Alstyne and delphi study lead Gabe Sawhney. We’ll explore the scenarios – rich, plausible and surprising stories of possible futures – together with their evidence basis and their implications. In particular, we’ll look at how we used Delphi, a semi-quantitative foresight survey method, to uncover critical certainties. Gabe will share his experiences designing and leading the survey in collaboration with industry specialists, Nordicity.
By championing the integration of design thinking, visual strategies and strategic foresight, we’ll assess new modes of knowledge creation, and reflect on emerging challenges and opportunities.