Miguel Jiménez – A Journey Towards Interdisciplinary Futures
Miguel Jiménez gives insights about how anticipating future trends today can prepare us for tomorrow’s challenges. He delves into a interdisciplinary approach to shape resilient and creative designs. Read more!
Miguel Jiménez is a futurist, author, and speaker dedicated to helping global decision-makers prepare for the future. With over 25 years of cross-disciplinary expertise in computer science, technology, social sciences, business administration, and industrial design, he specialises in using foresight to drive innovation and strategic solutions.
Miguel has worked internationally across various industries, including design, retail, finance, food, technology, media, engineering, and government. He has been instrumental in establishing future-thinking cultures and programmes that inspire and equip teams for a brighter future. Additionally, he serves as the vice chair of the Association of Professional Futurists.
Since 2014, Fast Forward (FFWD) focused solely on strategic foresight consultancy, eschewing design strategy, product development, and strategic planning. With offices in Singapore, Dubai, and Spain, FFWD operated globally, helping clients understand potential futures to make better decisions. However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced a pivot as travel restrictions hindered service delivery. Recognising the opportunity, Miguel engaged with a diverse array of individuals, from CEOs to government officials, by posing a single question: “What keeps you up at night?”. The prevailing concern recorded was the fear of regretting today’s decisions tomorrow due to a lack of information about future developments. This insight led to the creation of Fast Forward, a company dedicated to addressing these anxieties.
According to Jiménez, the future is just a human abstraction, a vision created in real-time that encapsulates our goals, fears, and expectations. We invented the concepts of past, present, and future, often perceiving time as linear due to Western civilisation’s influence. However, time can be represented in many ways, such as parallel or circular. Our understanding of the future helps us think ahead, anticipate challenges, and drive positive change. These narratives guide us through future uncertainties, highlighting that the future is not a fixed destination but a realm of potential shaped by our imagination and actions. Thus, the future remains a powerful tool for driving human progress and fostering endless possibilities.
Foresight frameworks add layers of knowledge to inform better decisions about the future. One notable example is Elliott P. Montgomery’s “Narrative Futures Cones,” which categorises future scenarios as probable, plausible, possible, and impossible. By examining these narratives, we can anticipate future trends and prepare strategically. For instance, in design, this framework can help identify emerging needs and preferences, allowing designers to create products that align with potential future scenarios. This approach not only enhances creativity but also ensures that designs are resilient and adaptable to various future outcomes.