FUTURES

Editors: Concepción Olavarrieta, Jerome C. Glenn, and Theodore J. Gordon

FUTURES is the most comprehensive futures studies encyclopedic dictionary that exists to date. It comprises over 1,000 terms and methods used in futures studies. It is available in English and Spanish.

The work was initiated and coordinated by Concepción Olavarrieta, with review and edits of terms done by Theodore Gordon and Jerome Glenn, and with the contribution of more than 500 futurists from The Millennium Project network.

It is available in English and Spanish. . It can be downloaded as pdf file.

Order a copy from our 2Checkout website

  • Publisher: Millennium Project; 1 edition (August 1, 2014)
  • Language: English; Spanish
  • ISBN: 978-607-00-4892-0

LIST OF TERMS addressed in FUTURES:

  • Access point
  • Action
  • Action research
  • Action science
  • Actor, stakeholder, agent
  • Actor’s game
  • Actor’s strategies
  • ADL method
  • Agent model quick basic program
  • Agro-biotechnology
  • Algorithm or algorism
  • Alien life
  • Allohistory
  • Alternate future
  • Alternate technology
  • Alternative (option)
  • Alternative development paths
  • Alternative energy
  • Alternative futures
  • Alternative history
  • Alternative paradigm
  • Alternative technology
  • Ambient Intelligence
  • Analog
  • Analogy
  • Analysis
  • Analysis of variance
  • Animal rights
  • Anomaly
  • Anticipation
  • Anticipative
  • Anticipatory action learning (AAL)
  • Anticipatory democracy
  • Anticipatory policy
  • AQAL (All quadrants, all levels)
  • Archetype
  • Area sampling
  • Argument mapping
  • Ariole
  • Arlington impact index
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Artificial neural networks
  • Aspirational futures
  • Aspirations model
  • Assembling a panel
  • Assumption (critical assumption, hypothesis, model)
  • Assumption surfacing
  • Asymptotic
  • Attractor
  • Audacious goals
  • Autocorrelation analysis
  • Automata or automaton
  • Autonomus or excluded variables
  • Avalanche models
  • Averaging methods
  • Backcasting
  • Backstop technology
  • Balanced feedback loop
  • Bandwidth
  • Bariloche model
  • Bayes theorem
  • Bayesians
  • Belief systems
  • Bell curve
  • Bellwether
  • Benchmarking
  • Bequest values
  • Beta test
  • BIAS
  • Bibliometrics
  • Bifurcation (singularity, counterfactual, turning point)
  • Bifurcations
  • Big crunch
  • Binomial theorem
  • Biocentrism
  • Biodiversity
  • Bioethics
  • Bioprospecting
  • Biotechnology
  • Bitmaps
  • Blogs
  • Boolean Logic/Boole Technique
  • Bootstrapping paradigm
  • Bottom-up modeling, Bottom-up analysis
  • Bounded rationality
  • Box Jenkins models
  • Brain trust
  • Brain writing
  • Brainstorming
  • Branching program
  • Business as usual scenario
  • Business model
  • Business portfolio models
  • Butterfly effect
  • Carbon sequestration
  • Carrying capacity
  • Catastrophe theory
  • Causal attribution
  • Causal layered analysis
  • Causal loop diagram (CLD)
  • Causal models
  • Cause and effect analysis
  • Cellular automata models
  • Chance elements
  • Change
  • Change agent
  • Change cycle
  • Change management
  • Chaos analysis use in forecasting
  • Chaos theory
  • Charrette
  • Citizen congress
  • Citizen forum
  • Citizen panels (juries)
  • Clean/Cleaner technology
  • Clone/Cloning
  • Closed system
  • Club of Rome
  • Cocreative society
  • Cognitive bias
  • Cognitive map
  • Cognitive science
  • Cohort
  • Coincidence
  • Co-incident indicator
  • Collective consciousness
  • Collective intelligence
  • Collective memory
  • Collective unconscious
  • Common good/Common best
  • Communitarian
  • Communitarianism
  • Community
  • Community based process
  • Community buy-in
  • Community information infrastructure
  • Community transformation
  • Competing hypotheses
  • Competitive Intelligence
  • Complex adaptive systems
  • Complexity
  • Complexity manager
  • Computarium
  • Computational biology
  • Computer simulation
  • Concept fan
  • Concept map
  • Conduction time
  • Cone of plausibility
  • Conjecture, hypothesis, assumption
  • Connected individuality
  • Conscious evolution
  • Consciousness
  • Conscious-technology
  • Consensus
  • Consensus democracy
  • Constrained vision
  • Construction of meaning
  • Content analysis
  • Contingent valuation
  • Continuous variables
  • Continuities
  • Control theory
  • Convergence
  • Convergent
  • Corporate foresight
  • Corporate technology roadmap
  • Correlation
  • Cost-benefit analysis
  • Counter-factual
  • Counter-intuitive
  • Counter trend
  • Covariance analysis
  • Creative class
  • Creative knowledge economy
  • Creative thinking
  • Creativity
  • Creeping normalcy
  • Crisis
  • Criterion
  • Critical future studies
  • Critical path
  • Critical system requirements
  • Critical thinking
  • Cross impact analysis method
  • Cross sectional study
  • Cu-bit
  • Cultural evolution
  • Curve fitting
  • C-value paradox
  • Cyber crime
  • Cyber culture
  • Cybernetics
  • Cyberpunk
  • Cyberspace
  • Cyborg
  • Cyclical analysis
  • Darwinism
  • Data availablility
  • Data collection
  • Data mining
  • Debug
  • Decentralization
  • Decision analysis
  • Decision matrix
  • Decision modeling
  • Decision theory
  • Decision tree
  • Decomposition
  • Deconstructionism
  • Deductive prospective
  • Deep ecology
  • Delphi method
  • Depending variables or result variables
  • Desirable futures, preferable futures
  • Determinism
  • Devil’s advocate
  • Devolution
  • Diachronic
  • Diagnosis
  • Diagnostic reasoning
  • Diagram
  • Dictionary: FUTURES World Foresight Encyclopedic Dictionary.
  • Diffusion
  • Digital divide
  • Digital networks
  • Dimensional analysis
  • Direct consensus democracy
  • Disaggregation
  • Disconnected variables
  • Discontinuity, lack of continuity
  • Distribution
  • Disturbance generator
  • Divergence mapping
  • Divination
  • DNA computing
  • Double-loop learning
  • Dream society
  • Drivers
  • Driving forces
  • Dynamic equilibrium
  • Dynamical systems models
  • Dynamo
  • Dystopia
  • Early detection
  • Early warning note
  • Early warning system
  • Earth stewardship
  • Ecocide
  • Ecological footprint analysis
  • Ecological/Environmental justice/Ecolojustice
  • Ecological load
  • Ecologically sustainable development
  • Econometrics models
  • Economism
  • Ecosphere
  • Ecosystem
  • Ecosystem fragmentation
  • Ecosystem management
  • Eco-terrorism
  • Edutainment
  • Effective connections
  • EIES, Electronic information exchange system
  • Electronic infrastructure
  • Electronics
  • Emergent phenomenon
  • Emerging issue
  • Emerging Issues Analysis
  • Emerging technology
  • Entropy
  • Environmental ethics
  • Environmental impact
  • Environmental impact assessment
  • Environmental scanning
  • Environmental security
  • Episteme
  • Epoch A
  • Epoch B
  • Equilibrium models
  • Ethical dilemmas
  • Ethical investment
  • Evaluation, assessment
  • Event sequence analysis
  • Events (future)
  • Evolution
  • Evolution (co-evolution)
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Evolutionary development
  • Evolutionary models
  • Evolutionary spiral of development
  • Existence value
  • Exogenous (variables)
  • Expectancy
  • Expected utility/value
  • Expert choice
  • Expert forecasting
  • Experts panel
  • Experts system
  • Exploratory forecasting
  • Exploratory foresight
  • Exploratory futures
  • Exploratory methods
  • Exploratory scenarios
  • Exponential smoothing
  • Expost
  • Extended benefit-cost analysis
  • Extradimensionality
  • Extrapolation, projection
  • Extrapolative methods
  • Extropianism
  • Extropy
  • Factor
  • Factor analysis
  • Failed status
  • Failure mode
  • Fatalism
  • Feedback
  • Feedback loop
  • Feelysis
  • Feminine brain drain
  • Fibonacci numbers
  • Field anomaly relaxation method
  • Fitting curve
  • Flow
  • Folksonomy
  • Force-field analysis
  • Forecast
  • Forecast methods
  • Forecasting
  • Foreknowledge
  • Foresight (future studies, futures thinking, anticipation)
  • Foresight attitude
  • Foresight diamond
  • Foresight methods
  • Foresight principle
  • Foresight workshops, scenario breakout groups
  • Forward-stepwise regression analysis
  • Fourier analysis
  • Fractals
  • Frequency distribution
  • Functional equivalent
  • Future
  • Future course
  • Future generations
  • Future history
  • Future image
  • Future landscape
  • Future research
  • Future search conferences
  • Future shock
  • Future studies
  • Future survey
  • Futures
  • Futures concepts
  • Futures horizon
  • Futures metaphors
  • Futures methodology
  • Futures research
  • Futures studies
  • Futures terms conceptual map
  • Futures thinking
  • Futures variables
  • Futures wheel
  • Futures workshop
  • Futures: World Foresight Enciclopedic Dictionary
  • Futurescan system
  • Futurible and futurable
  • Futurics
  • Futuring
  • Futurist
  • Futurology
  • Fuzzy logic
  • Fuzzy sets
  • Game changer
  • Games
  • Gaming
  • Gaussian distribution
  • Gen X
  • Gen Y
  • Gene chip
  • General circulation/equilibrium models
  • Generational generative dialogue
  • Generic table
  • Genetic engineering
  • Genius forecasting
  • Germ, weak signal, shaping factor
  • Global 2000
  • Global brain
  • Global dynamics
  • Global Marshall Plan
  • Global Millennium Prize
  • Global Millennium Prize for Women
  • Global models
  • Global problematique
  • Global resolutique
  • Global warming
  • Globalism
  • Globalization
  • Glocalization
  • Goals
  • Godel’s incompleteness theorem
  • Gordian knot
  • Government foresight
  • Green politics
  • Greenhouse effect
  • Greenhouse gases
  • Group consensus method
  • Group facilitation techniques
  • Group intelligence
  • Group think
  • Groupware
  • Guttman scale
  • Hacker
  • Harmonic oscillator
  • Hedging
  • Heuristic
  • Heuristic modeling
  • Hidden attractor
  • Hierarchy
  • High impact/Low probability
  • Hindsight, historical view, retrospective
  • Historible
  • Historic analogy
  • Historicism
  • Holism
  • Holistic
  • Holon
  • Horizon scanning
  • Hudson Institute
  • Human development index
  • Human genome project
  • Hypotheses
  • Hypothesis generation
  • Hypothetical present
  • IBIS, Issue based information system
  • Image of the future
  • Images of the future
  • Imagination
  • Impact factor
  • Impact matrix
  • Impact wheel
  • Implicate order
  • In-basket exercises
  • Incasting
  • Independent variables
  • In-depth interviews
  • Indicator validator
  • Indicator, variable, factor, metric
  • Individual aggregates method
  • Individualism
  • Inductive and ascendant prospective
  • Industrial ecology
  • Industry technology roadmap
  • Inertia
  • Inference engine
  • Inference matrix
  • Influence diagram
  • Influent variable
  • Informatics
  • Information society
  • Information warfare
  • Infrastructure for the future
  • Initial conditions
  • Innovation
  • Innovation indicators
  • Innovation stage
  • Input-output
  • Input-output model
  • Insight
  • Instinct
  • Institute for social inventions
  • Institute for the Future
  • Institutional analysis
  • Institutionalize
  • Integral futures
  • Integrated synthesis
  • Integrative methods
  • Interactive
  • Interactive futures conference
  • Interactive scenarios
  • Interax simulation method
  • Interdependence
  • Interesting future
  • International geosphere-biosphere programme
  • Interpolation
  • Interpretative paradigm
  • Intimate
  • Intrinsic values
  • Intuition
  • Irreversibility
  • Isotropy
  • Issue, key issue, in play, stake
  • Issue trees
  • Issues management
  • Iteration
  • iThink
  • J curve
  • Jackknife
  • Jerk
  • Judgmental bootstrapping
    Judgmental extrapoltaion
    Judgment heuristics
  • Judgemental forecasting
  • Juster scale
  • Key assumptions check
  • Key forces
  • Key measures
  • KJ method
  • KJ technique
  • Knowledge economy
  • Knowledge management
  • Knowledge society
  • Kondratiev waves or supercycles
  • KSIM a simulation technique
  • La prospective
  • Lag
  • Lagging indicator
  • Laser technology
  • Lateral thinking
  • Law of diminishing/accelerating returns
  • Lead time
  • Leading indicators
  • Learning community
  • Learning systems
  • Levels theory
  • Life cycle
  • Life cycle analysis
  • Likert scale
  • Limit
  • Limiting factor
  • Limits to growth
  • Linear extrapolation
  • Linear programming
  • Linear relationship
  • Linear systems
  • Literature review
  • Localism
  • Logarithmic growth
  • Logic
  • Logical inference
  • Logistic growth
  • Long term
  • Longevity methods
  • Loop (computational)
  • Lorenz attractor
  • Macroshift
  • Mactor Method
  • MAO. Matrix actors x objectives
  • Map of the future
  • Materials science or materials engineering
  • Mathematical model
  • Matrix methods
  • Media type
  • Median
  • Meditation
  • Megadiversity
  • Megatrend
  • Megatrends
  • Meme, memes or memetic code
  • Metaphor
  • Metaphorical games
  • Metaphorm
  • Methods of exhaustion
  • Methods table
  • MICMAC method
  • Microfutures
  • Microscenarios
  • MID matrix of direct influence
  • MIDI matrix
  • Milestone
  • Millennium Award
  • Millennium Development Goals
  • Millennium Institute
  • Millennium Project
  • Millennium Project: FUTURES World Foresight Encylopedic Dictionary
  • Millennium Project Nodes
  • Mind map and Mind mapping
  • Mindset
  • Minimax method or theorem
  • Minitrends
  • Mission
  • Mission flow diagrams
  • Mixed foresight techniques
  • Mode
  • Model
  • Modeling
  • Modern futures movement
  • Monitoring
  • Montecarlo method
  • Moore’s Law
  • Moral community
  • Morphogenetic fields
  • Morphological analysis
  • Morphological box
  • Multi-criteria decision analysis
  • Multidimensionality
  • Multi-disciplinary, pluri-disciplinary
  • Multimedia
  • Multiple linear regression
  • Multiple perspective method
  • Multiple regression analysis
  • Multipol method
  • Multivariable analysis
  • Mutation
  • Mystical consciousness
  • Nanobot
  • Nanobot swarm
  • Nanoengineering
  • Nanopathogen
  • Nanotechnology
  • Narrative analysis
  • Negative feedback
  • Neo-malthusianism
  • Network analysis
  • Networks
  • New world disorder
  • Nightmare (scenario)
  • No surprise future
  • Node
  • Nodo Mexicano. El Proyecto del Milenio, A.C.
  • Noise
  • Nominal group technique
  • Nonlinear
  • Non-linear relationship
  • Nonmathematical model
  • Noosphere
  • Normalizing
  • Normative
  • Normative forecasting
  • Normative foresight
  • Normative futures
  • Normative methods
  • Normative scenarios
  • Normative studies
  • Norms
  • Omega point theory
  • Ontology
  • Operational foresight, operative foresight
  • Operations research
  • Opinion polling
  • Optimism & pessimism
  • Optimization
  • Organizational storytelling
  • Oscillation
  • Outside-in thinking
  • Oval map
  • Overshoot and collapse
  • Ownership (appropriation, internalization, assimilation, sharing)
  • Paradigm
  • Paradigm blindness
  • Paradigm shift
  • Paradox
  • Parallel processes
  • Parameter
  • Paranormal phenomena
  • Participatory democracy
  • Participatory methods
  • Pattern recognition
  • Perimeter
  • Personal futures
  • PERT
  • Pertinence tree
  • PEST analysis
  • Phase space
  • Photonics
  • Photovoltaics
  • Physical simulation elements
  • Picture of the future
  • Plan
  • Planification
  • Planner
  • Planning
  • Planning action
  • Plausible future
  • Pluri-disciplinarity
  • Point of inflection
  • Poisson distribution
  • Policy (policy space)
  • Policy outcomes forecasting model
  • Polynomial-regression analysis
  • Population dynamics
  • Positive feedback
  • Possible future
  • Possible futures, possible future, alternative future
  • Post-cartesian science
  • Post-human
  • Post industrial society
  • Post-materialism
  • Post-transition
  • Precautionary principle
  • Precursor
  • Precursor analysis
  • Precursor events
  • Predict
  • Prediction
  • Prediction markets
  • Predictive extrapolative methods
  • Preferable future
  • Preference, stated/revealed
  • Premonition
  • Pre-mortem analysis
  • Presage
  • Presentiment
  • Primary/secondary/tertiary effects
  • 3D Printing
  • Prisoner’s dilemma
  • Proactive
  • Probabilistic cross-impact matrix
  • Probabilistic system dynamics
  • Probability (likelihood)
  • Probability distribution
  • Probable, probable futures
  • Problem
  • Problematique
  • Problem-oriented analysis
  • Process (disruptive process)
  • Process leader
  • Process mapping
  • Process steering committee
  • Process/Transformative leadership
  • Prognosis
  • Programmed decisions simulations
  • Programming/Planning
  • Progress
  • Project management
  • Projection
  • Prophecy
  • Pros-cons
  • Prospect theory
  • Prospective
  • Prospective evaluation
  • Protocol
  • Psychodrama
  • Public Delphi
  • Public opinion surveys
  • Purposes of future studies
  • Quadrant crunching
  • Quality of life
  • Quality techniques
  • Quantitative scenarios
  • Quantitive techniques
  • Quantum computing
  • Quantum theory
  • QUEST. Quick environmental scanning technique
  • Rand corporation
  • Random
  • Random events
  • Random number generators
  • Randomization
  • Range
  • Rational choice theory
  • Reactivity
  • Reading grid
  • Real time Delphi
  • Rebuilding civil society
  • Recursion
  • Reductionism
  • Reframing
  • Regional project, regional design
  • Regresion analysis
  • Regulation
  • Reinforcing feedback loop
  • Relevance tree
  • Reliability
  • Replication
  • Requirements analysis
  • Resilience
  • Resolutique
  • Resources analysis-chains of value
  • Resources partners
  • Restorative economy
  • Retroaction
  • Reversible
  • Rights of property
  • Risk
  • Risk analysis
  • Risk management
  • Risk society
  • Roadmapping
  • Robot
  • Robotics
  • Robust decision-making
  • Role playing
  • Run chart
  • Rupture, discontinuity, breakdown
  • Saltwater agriculture
  • Scale, metrics
  • Scanning
  • Scatter diagram
  • Scenario (story, narrative, outcome, path)
  • Scenario archetypes
  • Scenario, context analysis
  • Scenario levels
  • Scenario matrix
  • Scenario planning
  • Scenario technique
  • Scenario workshops
  • Scenarios
  • Science ethics
  • Science fiction
  • Science roadmap
  • Scientific thinking
  • Scoping
  • Search conference
  • Secondary variables
  • Secularization
  • Security foresight
  • Self altering
  • Self assembly
  • Self destructive prophecy
  • Self-fulfiling prophecy
  • Self organizing
  • Sensors
  • Service Web 3.0
  • Sets
  • Shared vision
  • Shifting dominance
  • Sigmoid curve/ S curve
  • Signal strength
  • Simulated person
  • Simulation
  • Simulation gaming
  • Simulation modeling
  • Simultaneaous equations
  • Single-loop learning
  • Singularity
  • Sistematic intuitions
  • SMIC method
  • SMIC-Prob-expert method
  • Smoothing
  • Social change
  • Social cycle theory
  • Social imaging
  • Social innovation
  • Social network analysis
  • Social reproduction
  • Social synergy
  • Social transformation
  • Socialization
  • Societal values/indicators
  • SOF, State of the future report
  • SOFI, State of the future index
  • Solution effect analysis
  • Space exploration
  • Space technology
  • Spaceship earth
  • Space-time continuum
  • Space-time model
  • Spacial dimension
  • Spheric vision
  • Spiral dynamics
  • Spontaneity
  • Stake variables
  • Stakeholder
  • Stakeholder panels
  • Starbursting
  • Starlogo
  • Starter scenarios
  • Stasis
  • State of the future index
  • Statistical analysis
  • Statistical methods
  • Statistical modeling
  • STEEP, Society, Technology, Economy, Environment, Policy
  • Stella II
  • Stem cells
  • Stewardship ethics
  • Stock
  • Strange attractor
  • Strategic analysis
  • Strategic analysis grid
  • Strategic and proactive leadership
  • Strategic and Tactics
  • Strategic business areas
  • Strategic business development
  • Strategic foresight
  • Strategic foresight, strategic planning
  • Strategic inflection point
  • Strategic management
  • Strategic planning
  • Strategic policy intelligence, regional intelligence
  • Strategic prospective
  • Strategic studies
  • Strategic thinking
  • Strategies
  • Strategy
  • Strength analysis
  • Structural analysis
  • Structured debate
  • Study, report
  • Subjective, judgemental or intuitive methods
  • Sub-optimization
  • Substitution analysis
  • Sugarspace
  • Suprasex
  • Survey
  • Survey letter, watch-letter, newsletter
  • Survey technique
  • Sustainability
  • Sustainable development
  • Sustainable development principle
  • Sustainable technologies
  • Swarm intelligence
  • SWOT analysis
  • Sylorgs
  • Symborgs
  • Synchronicity
  • Syncretism
  • Synectics
  • Synergestic convergence
  • Synergy
  • Synocracy
  • Synopsis
  • Synopthic path
  • Synthesis
  • Syntony
  • Syntropy
  • System
  • Systems dinamics
  • System sciences
  • Systemic
  • Systemic dynamics
  • Systemic methods
  • Systemic process
  • Systems analysis
  • Systems foresight, systems thinking, holistic perspective
  • Systems theory
  • Systems thinking
  • Table of actor’s strategies
  • Tactic
  • Taxonomy
  • Tech-cast
  • Technoborgs
  • Technological determinism
  • Technological forecasting
  • Technology acceptance model
  • Technology assessment
  • Technology drivers
  • Technology forecasting
  • Technology foresight
  • Technology management
  • Technology planning
  • Technology roadmapping
  • Technology sequence analysis
  • Teilhard de Chardin
  • Telesthesia
  • Template
  • Temporal conceptions
  • Temporal horizon
  • Terminal scenario
  • Text data mining
  • The Futures Polygon
  • Theorem
  • Think tank
  • Threshold
  • Thurstone scale
  • Time capsule
  • Time frame
  • Time frames
  • Time horizon (event horizon, timeframe)
  • Time lag
  • Time series
  • Time series analysis
  • Timeline
  • TKJ
  • To anticipate
  • Top-down process
  • Transdisciplinarity
  • Transhuman
  • Transhumanism
  • Transinstitution
  • Tree of knowledge (TOK)
  • Trend
  • Trend analysis
  • Trend assessment
  • Trend extrapolation
  • Trend impact analysis
  • TRIZ
  • Trust interval or certainty (accuracy) interval
  • Turbulence
  • Turing test
  • Ubiquitous computing
  • Ultimate aims
  • Uncertain
  • Uncertainty
  • Uncertainty principle
  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  • Universal humanity
  • Unknown
  • Uplearning
  • Utilitarian
  • Utilitarianism
  • Utopia
  • Validation
  • Validaty
  • Value
  • Value of variable
  • Value theory
  • Values
  • Vantage point
  • Variable
  • Variables
  • Variance
  • Variance analysis
  • Variation
  • Vector
  • Vertical levels
  • Virtual reality
  • Vision
  • Vision in futures
  • Visioning, Image
  • Visualise
  • Visualization
  • Visualizing
  • Voice (speech) recognition
  • Volatility
  • Weak signals, seeds of change
  • Weapons of mass destruction
  • Web
  • Webs and networks
  • What If?
  • White holes
  • Wild card
  • Wild cards
  • Wind tunnelling
  • Wired
  • Wise culture
  • Working group
  • World Future Society
  • World Futures Studies Federation
  • Worldview
  • Worldview assumptions
  • Worldwatch Institute
  • Young Science