What if...?
A speculative prompt-based activity that encourages participants to explore alternative futures by asking bold or unexpected "what if" questions. This method invites imaginative thinking and helps loosen assumptions about how the future has to unfold.
Kate
MikeGoal
To provoke creative, divergent thinking and expand the range of possibilities considered by the group. Useful for challenging dominant narratives and surfacing new perspectives.
Attachments
Materials
Instructions
- Introduce the method by explaining that small shifts can lead to very different futures. Sometimes, asking “what if?” can unlock powerful new insights.
- Share or invite the group to generate a set of speculative “what if” questions. These can be provocative, hopeful, or strange. Examples:
- What if owning data was a basic human right?
- What if fossil fuels became illegal overnight?
- What if learning replaced earning as the measure of success?
- Give each small group or pair one question to explore. Ask them to imagine a future where that “what if” is true. What would change? Who benefits? What new challenges appear?
- Have groups sketch or list key features of that future. Optionally, ask them to present back to the whole group.
- Close with reflection: What felt surprising? What assumptions were disrupted? How might these provocations connect to today’s decisions?
Facilitation tips
- The goal isn’t realism. The goal is to stretch thinking. Encourage boldness and play.
- If participants struggle, offer “preposterous” examples to warm them up.
- You can guide tone depending on context: light and imaginative, or serious and values-driven.
Background
Speculative questioning is a foundational practice in futures thinking, design fiction, and foresight education. The "What if…?" format is especially useful for groups new to futures work because it’s simple, engaging, and reveals how deeply we are guided by our assumptions.
A great read on the topic is Rob Hopkins' book "From What Is to What If"
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