diverge · Ideation, Strategy, Storytelling · 420 min · 4-40 people · medium energy
Future Folktales
Future Folktales unlocks creative foresight by guiding participants to reimagine familiar stories in future contexts, fostering innovative solutions and inspiring visions for a regenerative world. This method encourages participants to explore desirable futures through narrative, connecting personal experiences with imaginative scenarios.
When to use Future Folktales
Use this method when you need to inspire creative thinking about the future, develop shared visions, and engage participants in storytelling to explore potential solutions to complex challenges.
What it solves
Lack of creative ideas, difficulty envisioning the future, disconnection from personal values in strategic planning.
How to run Future Folktales, step by step
- Folktales that Shaped us (60 min). Instruct participants to individually reflect on a folktale that significantly impacted them in childhood.
- In small groups, have each participant share their chosen folktale and discuss its impact, guided by questions like: 'How did the folktale make you feel?' and 'What lens did you adopt from the folktale to understand the world?'
- Visions of Desirable Futures (150 min). Ask participants to choose their favorite character from their folktale.
- Instruct them to imagine a future scenario (10, 50, or 100 years from now) where a significant change has occurred (e.g., no waste, virtual wars).
- Have them write or draw a scene depicting their character in this future situation, focusing on sensory details.
- Crafting a Story (240 min). Guide participants to create a journey outline, starting with their future vision as the endpoint.
- Have them map out the character's journey from the present to the future, including pivotal moments, locations, and challenges.
- Instruct them to develop the outline into a folktale narrative.
- Developing a Format (240 min). Facilitate a discussion on different formats for presenting the folktales (written, oral, comic book, animation, VR).
- Have participants choose a format and develop their folktale accordingly.
- Sharing Future Folktales (30 min). Invite participants to share their completed folktales with the group.
- After each presentation, have peers provide constructive feedback using a peer-reflection assessment.
Materials needed
- Paper or digital document for writing/drawing
- Pens/pencils or drawing software
- Optional: Materials for creating other formats (e.g., comic book supplies, animation software, VR development tools)
- Peer-reflection assessment questions
Facilitator tips
- Encourage participants to embrace creativity and think outside the box.
- Provide examples of future scenarios to spark their imagination.
- Remind participants to focus on the emotional impact of their stories.
Common pitfalls
- Participants struggling to envision the future: Provide prompts and examples to stimulate their imagination.
- Stories becoming too dystopian: Encourage participants to focus on desirable and regenerative futures.
Variations
- Collaborative Future Making: Involve local communities in co-creating future visions.
- Focus on specific themes: Direct the storytelling towards specific challenges or opportunities (e.g., climate change, social justice).
Running it online or hybrid
Use breakout rooms for small group discussions and collaborative writing tools like Google Docs or Miro for storyboarding and sharing.
What it produces
A collection of future folktales in various formats (written stories, oral narratives, comic books, animations, VR scenarios) and peer-reflection assessments.
Origin
Adapted from Transition Makers Toolbox — source
Build a session around Future Folktales
METODIC places Future Folktales inside a complete, timed session plan — agenda, worksheets, facilitator guide and slides — matched to your group and goal.