Executive Education Foresighting skills to design and implement adaptive practices

Back from the future: How to use foresight and systems thinking to develop adaptive capacity

This course will present the principles and practices of system thinking and scenario planning as two key methodologies that will serve as critical decision-support tools in developing adaptive practices and inform strategy and policy development to enhance organisational performance.

The capacity to make decisions in a rapidly changing, complex and uncertain operating landscape is becoming increasingly challenging. Much of what we witness is unpredictable and becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Leaders and managers in government and business need new frameworks and processes to better understand complexity and uncertainty. These frameworks and processes will enable them to develop and lead adaptive organisations so as to respond to the adaptive nature of business and society.

Key topics include:

An overview of the nature of change, complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity;
An overview of the concepts and principles of systems thinking, complex adaptive systems;
An overview of foresight work and the practices of scenario planning.

At a glance

Format: Online

Duration: 5 weeks (excluding orientation)

Commitment: 3-4 hours per week

Cost: $1,495 (or $1,195 for early bird registrations by 12 August)

Start/end date: 12 September - 10 October 2025 with a course orientation / meet and greet on 9 September

Group discounts available.

Testimonials

I am already thinking about how I can apply the exercises and guidance that I learnt in this course in relation to the next 6-12 months of my work. I also think this material is relevant for my peers and workplace. I have communicated and recommended this course to my team and SES.

Real-world Application

Systems thinking will assist decision-makers to develop maps of the dynamics that are shaping the policy landscape from which they gain a deep understanding of the key factors and the relationships between them that are shaping the policy landscape. These maps provide the source information to undertake strategic conversations that wrestle with the non-linear complexity that shapes the policy issue. Scenario planning provides a methodology that challenges beliefs and assumptions about the policy issue. The process assists policy and strategy developers to study the nature of uncertainty and take the insights gained, to inform policy and strategy from the future.

Course curriculum

Module 1 Why undertake foresight work and scenario planning?
Module 2 What is foresight work/scenario planning?
Module 3 How to develop scenarios
Module 4 Using the results from foresight work to inform policy and strategy development

Session schedule

This course will run as an online and distance program in 2025. It is scheduled to run across 5 weeks, 12 September - 10 October 2025 with a course orientation / meet and greet on 9 September. Specific dates and times to note in your diary are as follows:

10am-11am Tuesday 9 September 2025 – course introduction/meet and greet session
10am-11:30am Friday 12 September 2025
10am-11:30am Friday 19 September 2025
10am-11:30am Friday 3 October 2025
10am-11:30am Friday 10 October 2025

Note: Dates and times are in Canberra time (AEST before 5 October, and AEDT after that). The calendar invite for each session should automatically adjust to your timezone when you add it to your calendar. You can check at a site like this to be sure.

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Learning outcomes

Participants attending the course will have new ways of perceiving and thinking about complex and uncertain policy environments
The course will provide the capability to develop the content to lead and manage for adaptation to a changing business environment
The capability to develop and share new narratives that impact on cultural change, policy and strategy development
Learn the skills and techniques of foresight work that will assist to inform policy and strategy development and address a range of other issues
The capacity to challenge belief systems about the dynamics of the business landscape and the implications this may have on the direction of the organisation and its consequential performance

Who is this course for?

Any sector that needs to understand the nature of its business environment and develop an organised response with the capacity to identify emerging trends and be able to respond to them
Policy development and implementation business units
This course is suitable for APS6 - SES, or equivalent level.

Presenter

Dr Gary Saliba

Dr Gary Saliba is the Director of Strategic Journeys, a management consulting company, which assists people in organisations in strategy development work.

The unique role of Gary and his company is the integration of systems thinking, complex adaptive systems with futures studies and strategy development. This approach has enabled him to consult extensively across a range of government and commercial enterprises to develop organisational strategy that is based on plausible futures, using the scenario development methodology.

Gary’s approach is to work with people to enhance their processes in understanding their organisation’s operating environment and their own ways of operating. This leads to more informed decision-making and improved responsiveness and flexibility in an increasingly complex environment.

Gary holds a BSc(Hons), PhD in Applied Mathematics and Dip Ed from the University of Sydney. He is a Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Online training: How it works

This is a real-time, date-specific course, in which you will join live classes, engage and connect with experts, other course participants and the Executive Education team. Here’s how it works:

Pre-course live session. This is an opportunity for you to grab a cuppa and join our meet and greet before the course commences.
Practice + Study. Set aside 3 to 4 hours per week – this time commitment will vary depending on how deeply you choose to engage with the material. It is up to you.
Course pack. Each participant will receive a carefully curated workbook, which includes everything you need to guide you through the course.
Live sessions with presenter. This is a specified date and time for you to come together with the presenter and other participants to consolidate your learning.
Post-course. On completion of the course, you will receive your post-course resources for your reference and further learning.

Why choose online training?

No time off work – study and practice when you can.
Busy schedule? No problem, you can go at your own pace, join just the live classes, and do the course work whenever suits you best. We know that work and family obligations can be overwhelming. Mix and match the schedule to fit your life.
No travel. This is a course right at your fingertips. With no travel expenses, this is a very affordable option for high-level training with world-leading experts.
Live interaction with world-leading experts. You’ll have direct access to all the best resources and trainers.
Working remotely? With the online and distance format, we welcome participants from around the world to join us.

FAQs

What if I can’t make a live session? No problem, we understand you are busy. Live sessions are recorded for you to catch up in your own time.

What if I’m in a different time zone? All advertised course times from 6th October 2024 to 6th April 2025 are scheduled in Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) otherwise known as GMT+11. From 6th April 2025 scheduled times are Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) or GMT+10. Convert for your time zone here.

What if I am not tech savvy? As long as you have access to a phone or computer, you will have no problems. Our online courses require a working laptop, desktop or smart device with good internet connection. Bring your headset. Join the tech-check session for support and insider tips.

I would like to purchase multiple courses, are there any discounts available? Yes, discount offers are available if you would like to book multiple courses throughout the year. You may contact us to discuss further options.

I work for a company or organisation that would like to enrol multiple employees in the same time. Is it possible? Yes, discounted rates are available for groups attending from the same organisation. Get in touch with us if you want to register as a group.

Can’t find the answers are you looking for? Contact our team for support at csee@anu.edu.au.

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