Concepts and ideas of the future development of technology and society - in short: technology futures - are being developed using different methods like scenario planning, road mapping or Delphi methods. They combine different forms of knowledge, include assumptions and normative settings, express wishes, expectations, and concerns and generally formulate ideas which future societal and technological reality is considered possible or desirable. Hence many of these technology futures are controversially discussed in society, but at the same time they play a major role in different societal fields and decision-making processes.

The aim of the project "Foresight and assessment of technology futures" is to provide methodologically secured procedures and standards for the creation and assessment of technology futures. The resulting guidelines do not only provide support for the consultancy praxis of the funding partner acatech, but shall also contribute to improving the transparency in future-related consultation in general. ITAS is responsible for the co-ordination of the project regarding content and organization and also in charge of a number of aspects, e.g. the definition of the term "technology futures", their assessment, and the way they are applied to political decision-making.

Special publication:
acatech (ed.)
Technikzukünfte : Vorausdenken - Erstellen – Bewerten. Heidelberg u.a.: Springer, 2012. ISBN 978-3-642-34606-4
(acatech IMPULS)
full text

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