This Table of Futures Elements illustrates some of the important trends and drivers that will influence the future. Combine the elements to help think about what may happen, or needs to happen.

1. A Futures Periodic Table
P C
Climate
Population change
D F Tb Db Go S En Su Fw
Technology
Demographics Food Blur Big Data Governance Security Energy Sustainability Freshwater
H Ur Co It Em Mp R Wf Bd
Information Emerging
Health Urbanisation Control technologies economies Multi-polar Resources Workforce Biodiversity
Sa Ed K Cr Eq Fc Bm G Pb
Societal Business Planetary
attitudes Education Knowledge Creation Inequality Financial crisis models Globalisation boundaries
Social Technology Political Economic Environment
Nd Ud Pd Ig
Natural Unnatural Unknown
disasters disasters Pandemics unknowns
Robert Hickson Black Swans
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2. Global population may be 9
billion by 2050, and potentially
more than 10 billion by 2100.
New Zealand population may be
5.75 million by 2061.
P
Population
Proportion of people over 65 may One forecast predicts 30% more
triple to 1 in 6 by 2050. food will need to be produced by
D F 2050.
20% of New Zealand population Will food supplies be able to
expected to be over 65 by 2031. Demographics Food meet growing demands?
Aging populations and H Ur World becoming more urbanised.
more people with chronic
diseases. Health Urbanisation What will be implications for
transport, energy, food
What will be affordable production, education and health
healthcare in the future? systems?
Sa Ed
Societal
attitudes Education Is the current education system
Societal attitudes influence what suitable for future needs?
technologies, policies and
economic activities are adopted. How can educational
Social achievement be improved for
everyone?
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3. Increasing tendency for When is more data good?
technology to blur (or converge)
across disciplinary boundaries. And how do we turn it into useful
and timely information?
Tb Db
Technology
We are getting better at Blur Big Data
controlling things great and It’s a wired wired world.
small, living & non-living.
How will this change societies
“With great powers come great
responsibilities”
Co It and economies?..
Information
Control technologies
The pursuit of knowledge and From knowledge comes
the need to improve on what
came before are driving forces.
K Cr invention.
Knowledge Creation
Technology
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4. One for the Geeks & Nerds
K
Knowledge
Ge Sc N Cm Na Ai Bs Cs
Stem Computer Artificial Behavioural Climate
Genetics cells Neuroscience modelling Nanosciences intelligence science science
Cr Etc…
Creation
Bt Bn Nt Nm Am Ro Ds Gn
Bio- Nano- New Additive
technologies Bioengineering technologies materials manufacturing Robotics Design Geoengineering
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5. Old ways of governing unlikely to Old and new security challenges
work as social, political & from changing technological,
economic landscapes change. economic and geopolitical
conditions.
Go S
Governance Security Economic and geopolitical power
Rapidly rising economic powers shifting to multi-polar state rather
in Asia, Africa and South America than having one dominant
are changing global economic geopolitical power.
and political structures. Em Mp
Emerging
economies Multi-polar
To what extent will economic &
social inequalities change? 2007 global financial crisis
Eq Fc continues to constrain many
And what will happen if they get countries’ economic
worse? Inequality Financial crisis opportunities.
Political
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6. Energy demands continue to
grow. “Sustainability” becoming more
than just a marketing slogan for
How will the transition away from some corporations.
fossil fuels play out?
En Su
Ability to access critical mineral Energy Sustainability
resources to support economic Will countries and firms be able
and technological developments to attract the skilled workers they
may be come more difficult for need?
some countries. R Wf
Resources Workforce
How firms innovate and Economies continue to become
collaborate are changing as old Bm G more dependent and integrated.
business models fail. Business
models Globalisation
Economic
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7. Threat of significant changes in
climatic conditions influencing
many human activities.
C
Climate
change
Access to good quality
freshwater becoming a more
important constraint (for both Fw
developed and developing
countries). Freshwater
Continuing loss or threats to Bd
biodiversity and natural
environments likely to have Biodiversity
adverse economic and social
consequences.
Pb
Planetary
boundaries
Rising population levels and
economic activity may place
increasing pressure on a range
of other “planetary boundaries”
that affect quality of life..
Environment
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8. AKA human disasters. Pestilences and diseases.
Folly, greed, malice, that go global.
incompetence
& thoughtlessness.
Earthquakes, tsunamis,
volcanism, floods, drought, We’ll continue to be surprised
storms, asteroids, pest about what we don’t know.
outbreaks, etc can have
devastating consequences.
Nd Ud Pd Ig
Natural Unnatural Unknown
disasters disasters Pandemics unknowns
Black Swans
sciblogs.co.nz/ariadne © 2012

9. A Futures Periodic Table
P C
Climate
Population change
D F Tb Db Go S En Su Fw
Technology
Demographics Food Blur Big Data Governance Security Energy Sustainability Freshwater
H Ur Co It Em Mp R Wf Bd
Information Emerging
Health Urbanisation Control technologies economies Multi-polar Resources Workforce Biodiversity
Sa Ed K Cr Eq Fc Bm G Pb
Societal Business Planetary
attitudes Education Knowledge Creation Inequality Financial crisis models Globalisation boundaries
Social Technology Political Economic Environment
Nd Ud Pd Ig
Natural Unnatural Unknown
disasters disasters Pandemics unknowns
Black Swans
sciblogs.co.nz/ariadne © 2012

10. A Futures Periodic Table
So, what are the possibilities when you combine elements?
Eg.,
F Ro Bt En Wf Fw Sa
Bio- Societal
Food Robotics technologies Energy Workforce Freshwater attitudes
What roles will robotics and biotechnologies play in farming in
a future carbon and water constrained world? What skills will
farm workers need (or won’t we need them)? How will societal
and consumer attitudes influence what technologies are
used?
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11. A Futures Periodic Table
Eg.,
H Ur Db Em Go Bm C
Emerging Business Climate
Health Urbanisation Big Data economies Governance models change
How can “Big Data” improve the health of people moving to
cities in a rapidly developing country, and what new business
models and policies may be required to achieve the
outcomes? How may climate change affect both health and
the economy?
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