We are a network of experts, instructors, and applied practitioners with 20+ years of experience helping global business face the future.
OUR INSTRUCTORS AND RESEARCHERS
We focus on the practical application of cutting-edge research methods. All of our researchers have over a decade of industry experience in addition to proven abilities in developing the methods, practices, and theory that drives innovation research.
Our instructors have designed and led hundreds of applied projects that have moved the needle. All of us have practiced what we teach.
Our foresight and insight researchers have worked on projects ranging from corporate strategy, product and service innovation, to governmental policy development.
Teaching philosophy
The Human Futures Approach is a system grounded in a seamless blend of rigorous foresight strategy and radically human-centric insight. It provides the best of both anticipatory strategic positioining and an strong, empathetic understanding of people and their behaviours. For twenty years, it has been applied to help solve problems and develop new products, services, and experiences for companies all over the world. Now we are opening it up for others to learn.
We believe learning is best done together. We also know that while there are a large number of online course options available to people, they are convenient but incomplete offerings. We prefer IRL learning options first, only offering online options for people who either cannot make it to our course days, or need the convenience of a more flexible schedule.
We hold our certificate programs and selected course offerings in selected cities around the world, usually London, Zurich, Montreal, Seoul, and Vancouver. We often hold them in other cities.
Each of these course meet-ups follow a three day program of instruction, experiential fieldtrips, and community/network building. We learn together, conduct field research together, and work on challenges together. Because the focus is on experiential and applied learning, these three elements mean students learn, discuss, and apply their new skills continuously.
Our seminars are organized around growth experiences, open discussion, and community buildnig. We share ideas, food, and new opportunities to learn together.
We love theory, and know its place. But we know that what people need is to learn is how to apply the cutting edge of foresight and insight to their work. All of our courses focus on this application. Students learn how to use their new skills in their work through an exploration of case studies, hands-on experimentation, and masterclasses tailored to their role, job, and current and near-future projects.
Our focus is to build a culture of innovation grounded in solid inputs from human-centric research and foresight scenario planning.
There are people who need to learn foresight and advanced insight to practice the methods themselves. There are others who need to lead teams that incorporate these skills and perspectives into the workflow. These are two different requirements.
RESEARCH AREAS
Our fellows are engaged in a number of ongoing research programs.
Current work includes:
Nordic and Artic Futures (Including Canada)
Socio-cultural shifts in sociopolitical and social discourse
Problems with the concept of the "polycrisis"
Modes of Speculation and their impact on foresight studies
The development of an Anthropology of Change
Reassessing Impact Assessments and their methdology
New scanning and analytical procedures in foresight
Continuous development of the Human Futures Approach
AI integration into research practices and knowledge systems
Building a culture of innovation
Indigenous storytelling and de-alternativizing change stories
WE ARE INSTITUTIONAL PARTNER FOR RESEARCH
In addition to leading our own research programs, Human Futures Insititue also partners with universities, government agencies, and other research groups to conduct short and long-term research.
COURSES AND CERTIFICATES IN FORESIGHT STRATEGY AND HUMAN FUTURES
We offer a set of courses intended to get you into the thick of foresight and insight research quickly. We also offer a certification program to demonstrate you have reached a high level of abililty in applying foresight strategy, future-forward human insights, or both.
Students can work a course at a time, or combine the courses to earn a certification in foresight strategy or Human Futures (Insight + Foresight)
BESPOKE TRAINING, SEMINARS, AND EVENTS
We also offer short-format courses to train, upskill, and develop teams within organizations. These can range from a talk or single day event designed to inspire a team or dig into a particular topic all the way to a custom set of course to train and develop applied skills in insight or foresight.
WE FOCUS ON LEARNING AND UPSKILLING FOR APPLICATION
Our educational programs focus on the development of applied skills. While programs build the knowledge and understanding of the principles and methods of foresight and future-forward insight, the focus in on the practical application of these new skills in business, design, and policy contexts.
WE TEACH THE BEST OF FORESIGHT AND INSIGHT
We offer courses in the fundamentals of human-centric insight and foresight all the way to advanced techniques and practices. We also offer modules in the Human Futures Approach, a cominatorial practice joining humanized foresight strategy with future-forward insight development as a way to level-up applied work in innovation, business strategy, and policy development.
Leadership
Mathew Lincez
Foresight Strategist, Instructor
Mat is a classically trained industrial designer. He specializes in applying strategic foresight to design, investment and innovation challenges. Over the past 20 years he’s acquired a diversity of global, cross industry experience, helping senior leaders, organizations prepare for and shape the future.
Early in his career, Mat worked with Motorola and Whirlpool corporations, using scenarios to inform strategic innovation, design and engineering pathways. He later held an associate research position at the Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity, a think tank and predecessor to OCADU's SLab. While there, he supported the development of the University’s masters in strategic foresight and innovation (MDes) program. Following the closure of the “Beal” he joined Idea Couture, a global innovation firm, where he founded and led IC/Futures, the firm's dedicated foresight practice. During this time he worked to integrate applied foresight and futures thinking methods into the firm's multi-disciplinary service lines and value proposition, managed a global team of dedicated foresight strategists, and executed hundreds of consulting engagements with Global brands and institutions across food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, consumer electronics, hospitality, pharma life sciences, financial services, not for profit sector and more. Ultimately becoming a trusted advisor to several C-Level executives, boards and innovation teams. Post IC, Mat co-founded Human Futures where he continues to lead the evolution and application of human centred foresight approaches with Global brands, startups, and institutions.
In addition to his corporate advisory work, Mat has led the application of experience design and strategic foresight within the startup, new venture, and commercialization space. Partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and investors to identify and develop forward thinking use cases, new growth verticals and road-maps that clarify the potential of new technologies, processes, and/or value propositions at the earliest possible stages of development.
Over the years, Mat has maintained his involvement in academia supporting the development of new curriculum, courses and programs while participating as a guest lecturer, visiting professor, and instructor at a number of leading institutions including: OCADU, KAOSPILOT, CEDIM, the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and the Ross School of Management at the University of Michigan.
Specialties: AppliedForesight, Scenario Planning, Environmental Scanning, Weak Signal & Trends Analysis, Whitespace & Opportunity Mapping, Storytelling, User Experience Design, Research Design, Scouting, Knowledge & Relationship Brokering, Pre-Diligence, Intellectual Property Expansion, Training & Competency Development
Paul Hartley, PhD
Anthropologist, Instructor, Executive Director
Paul is an anthropologist, foresight practitioner, author, speaker, and instructor. For over 15 years, he has worked in applied research. He has provided insights and strategic advice to over 150 companies all over the world, from the Fortune 50/500 to start-ups and VCs. He is the co-founder and CEO of Human Futures Inc., a global insight and foresight partner providing companies, NGOs, and governments with insight, foresight, and strategic advice.
Paul has written handbooks to change the research practice of major companies, contributed insights that have altered the direction of innovation, and supported the development of numerous products, services, brands, and experiences. He has worked for boards and C-suites, partnered with innovation teams, and serves as an advisor to many companies looking to understand their customers more productively.
While doing this Paul has maintained his connections with academia. He writes and teaches the next generation of insights and foresight practitioners.
Paul is the author of articles, white papers, and the book Radical Human Centricity: Fulfilling the Promises of Innovation Research, published in 2022.
Morgan Gerard, PhD
Anthropologist, Senior Advisor
As Chief Resident Anthropologist at Idea Couture, where he led the former Toronto firm’s anthropology and strategic foresight practices, Morgan draws on his experience in innovation and the social sciences to advise project teams at Human Future Studio. Having identified key strategic opportunities leveraged by Burberry, UCB, Abbie, Diageo and others, his aim is two-fold: first, to assist HF teams with the design and implementation of projects plans, ethnographic methods, insights articulation and socializing findings-to-concepts; and second, to enable those teams to help their clients become more resilient, human-centric and confidently creative. Morgan also serves as the editor of the HF online journal, Future Types.