
The Futures Wheel is used to brainstorm the impacts of an idea, change, or decision by exploring possible indirect impacts and combinations of those impacts.
Instructions
- Write your Challenge (idea/decision/change) in the centre.
- Imagine this Challenge actually occurs, and identify (brainstorm or research) possible direct consequences. These can be positive, negative, or neutral. Write them in the first ring around the Challenge in the centre.
- Identify indirect consequences generated by the direct consequences. Use the connecting lines to help you think of what indirect results the combined effects of two direct results might generate. These lines are just a guide, feel free to ignore/remove as needed.
- Extend into new rings of indirect results as many times as desired. Feel free to go into third or more levels of consequences.
- Analyze for next steps—consider how to improve or manage the negative impacts, enhance and leverage the positive, and remove or energise the neutral