The Use and Usefulness of The Futures Triangle

Abstract

This paper presents the Futures Triangle as a framework to help guide thinking about the future. It works as a thinking tool or cognitive map, helping us interpret the past, orientate the present in charting our move to the future. This article uses four case studies to demonstrate the use and usefulness of the Futures Triangle for advancing futures studies in that it scaffolds the thinking about possible, probable and plausible futures, eliciting images of the future, interpreting the past and orientating the present, integrating knowledge and values for charting plausible futures, and increasing democratic participation in imaging desired futures. These case studies illustrates the effectiveness and utility of the Futures Triangle in enhancing futures studies and its potential for broadening engagement and understanding in the field.