Training session on the Responsible Futuring methodology held within the ULALABS project
- hafsaelbriyak
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min de lectura
On Thursday 12 March, an online training session on the Responsible Futuring methodology was held as part of the ULALABS Distributed Learning Pilot. The session was delivered by Mafalda Madureira, researcher at the University of Twente, and brought together a diverse group of participants from different sectors, including researchers, professors, students, representatives from public administration and business.
The session introduced the Responsible Futuring approach, a methodology developed by the DesignLab at the University of Twente. The methodology is designed to help researchers, public institutions and organisations anticipate and shape desirable futures when developing innovation, research or policy initiatives. It encourages participants to reflect on the potential social, environmental and technological consequences of present-day decisions, promoting more responsible and inclusive innovation processes.
During the first part of the session, Mafalda Madureira presented the conceptual foundations of the methodology, explaining how futures-oriented thinking can support project teams in building shared visions and anticipating the possible long-term impacts of innovation.
The training also included a hands-on workshop component, where participants worked collaboratively using several tools from the Responsible Futuring Toolbox. The practical exercise focused on the idea of re-greening cities as a future scenario. Participants first analysed factors from the past and present that may have contributed to the lack of green spaces in urban environments, such as urbanisation patterns, economic priorities, land costs or limited awareness of biodiversity benefits.
In a second step, participants used the Futures Wheel method to identify the potential impacts—both positive and negative—of a greener city. These impacts included improved air quality, better physical and mental health, increased biodiversity, enhanced walkability and stronger local communities, while also considering possible challenges such as rising property prices or increased resource demands.
Another part of the workshop focused on stakeholder identification, encouraging participants to map the different actors involved in urban re-greening initiatives. These included citizens, local businesses, schools, municipal administrations, politicians and urban planners, as well as groups that might benefit from or oppose certain changes, such as commuters or car-lobby groups.
The session concluded with an open discussion and exchange of reflections, where participants explored how the Responsible Futuring methodology could be applied to their own research and innovation projects. One of the key takeaways was the importance of integrating future-oriented reflection at the early stages of project development, and of involving diverse stakeholders in shaping more sustainable and inclusive urban futures.
The training also served as a pilot activity for the ULALABS Distributed Learning pilots, where elements of the Responsible Futuring methodology will be applied in upcoming local workshops and co-creation processes. In the near future, participants and practitioners will also be able to access an online Responsible Futuring toolkit, which will provide further guidance and practical tools to support the application of the methodology.
You can consult the presentations from the webinar here:
If you want to learn more about the Responsible Futuring Approach and how you can apply it in your context, we encourage you to consult the respective Online Training module that was created for this purpose:
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