This document discusses how futures thinking and design thinking can strengthen business innovation capabilities. It argues that futures research helps organizations better understand and prepare for uncertainty, while service design improves their agility to adapt to changes. The combination of the two approaches provides optimal methods for recognizing new opportunities and realizing new value in a changing world. Specifically, it recommends combining futures research tools like scenarios with service design practices like co-creation to boost dynamic capabilities for service innovation.

1. MINNA KOSKELO & ANU K. NOUSIAINEN
TOPIC AVAILABLE ALSO AT SIDLAUREA.com blog
PRESENTED AT
SID SEMINAR MARCH 14TH, 2013 @ LAUREA LEPPÄVAARA, ESPOO, FINLAND
INNOBROKERIT (in Finnish) MAY 16TH, 2013 @ SIBELIUSTALO LAHTI, FINLAND
THE NEXT WAVE OF STRENGTHENING BUSINESS INNOVATION CAPABILITIES

2. FUTURES THINKING
Discovers, examines, evaluates
and proposes possible, probable,
and preferable futures (Bell 2009)
Present as many alterna[ves and
point of views as possible for
decision‐making (Mannermaa 2004)
Opens people’s mental models to
think different possibili[es
(Hiltunen 2010)
Increases readiness to act (Ibid.)
Offers the possibility to influence
future (Bishop & Hines 2012)
DESIGN THINKING
Translates observa[ons into
insights and insights into
products and service solu[ons
(Brown 2009)
Innova[ve and adap[ve: Creates
more value by beder sa[sfying
human needs in the long run
than tradi[onal ways of problem
solving (Griesbach 2010)
Matches people’s needs with what
is technologically feasible and
what a viable business strategy
can convert into customer value
and market opportunity (Ibid.)
What?

3. INNOVATION
(Service)
Design
Thinking
Futures
Research /
Foresight
Business opportuniFes
FOCUS
• Qualita[ve methods
• Adap[ve and innova[ve methods
• Commercial business
• Radical innova[on
• Opera[onal impact horizon 3‐10 years
• Designing new value systems
OUT‐OF‐SCOPE
• Quan[ta[ve
• Tradi[onal market research and surveys
• Governments, non‐profit
• Incremental innova[on
• Decades
• Individual product / service development
Where is Futures in Service Design & Innova[on?

4. PRINCIPLES PROCESSES PRACTICES
• Approx 150 SOURCES incl. books, ar[cles, blogs, best prac[ces and seminars
• Over 20 PROCESSES aiming at new business offering development and
innova[on
• Almost 200 Service Design and Futures Thinking METHODS AND TOOLS
• 10 informal discussions with local (Helsinki) Futures and Service Innova[on
prac[[onists
• Tes[ng at LA FUTURA 2012 – an interna[onal unConference for Futures and
Innova[on enthusiasts
Research 2012/2013

5. Plenty of similari[es = synenergies
between Service Design and Futures Research principles
Service Characteristics SERVICE DESIGN PROCESS: APPROACH SERVICE DESIGN METHODS: PRINCIPLES
Complex Analysis – Synthesis dialog Adaptive
Experiences Context oriented Collaborative
Heterogenous Creative Dialog driven
Inseparable Disruptive Empathic / Sensible
Intangible Future oriented Engaging
Interactions Holistic Evidencing /
Interdependent Future oriented Evaluative
Meaningful Innovative Multidisciplinary
Perishable Iterative Intuitive
Processes Opportunity / Target oriented Narrative / Storytelling
Sequenced Optimistic Networking
Social Radical Observative / Ethnographic
Solutions Sustainable Open-minded
Systems Systemic Out-of-the-box thinking
Value generating.. Transformational.. Visual.. ETC.

6. powered by FUTURES SPECIALISTS HELSINKI
Unique approaches are powerful together:
Context (Futures Research) + People (Service Design)

7. FUTURES RESEARCH makes uncertainty
easier to approach and understand by
providing alterna[ve and engaging
stories and thus, improving
organiza[on's readiness to change, take
its op[mal future direc[on, and act.
SERVICE DESIGN improves the
organiza[on's agility to seize the change
with adap[ve, innova[ve and empathic
methods to co‐design with customers
and to co‐create alterna[ve solu[ons
through rapid modeling and prototyping.
Hence, both Service Design and Futures Research
provide an op[mal set of methods for
RECOGNIZING NEW OPPORTUNITIES and ways to
REALIZE NEW VALUE in the rapidly changing
world.
The BEST combina[on to manage Roadmaps
related uncertainty and [ming

8. Create a diverse, co‐crea[ve & engaged Team
PEOPLE ARE AT THE CORE OF INNOVATION!

9. Iden[fy cri[cal placeholders for Futures insights
in (service) innova[on processes
Example: Service Design process by Stefan Moritz (2005) with critical phases and tools

10. powered by FUTURES SPECIALISTS HELSINKI
TRANSLOCAL ECONOMIES I NEW FOOD ECOLOGIES I MODES OF OPEN COLLABORATION I MODELS OF CITIZEN ACTION
..in Europe 2027. “My Way or Highway Millie”
has aesthetics, independence and freedom as
her core values. She is practicing soul
searching regularly with the help of various
coaching applications and with her personal
mentor, Millie’s own guru. However, she avoids
chains: Millie has continuously various
projects going on. It is true that she doesn’t
have a stable income flow, but she does not
stress about it that much. As everything is
about co-existence, she doesn’t have a
physical workplace. Instead, Millie has a co-
working space. She is not active in politics;
Neither she is an idealistic. Whatever she
does is based strongly on her special skills
and hobbies that give her some continuity, as
well as her active social life..
IMMERSED
FUTURE PERSONA
PERSONA FOCUSED
SCENARIO
PERSONA SCENARIO
Be candid:
Combine tools of Futures Research and Service Design

11. FORESIGHT AND SERVICE DESIGN BOOST DYNAMIC CAPABILITIES
IN SERVICE INNOVATION
FORTHCOMING BOOK CHAPTER IN “HANDBOOK OF SERVICE
INNOVATION” (SPRINGER) IN EARLY 2014 by Ojasalo K., Koskelo M. & Nousiainen A.K.
BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITIES FUTURES &
FORESIGHT
SERVICE
DESIGN

12. “Service Design and Futures Research together ensure
sustainable and successful business,
because they provide crea[ve and evalua[ve tools for
PEOPLE FOCUSED innova[on
through effec[ve visual and an[cipatory stories,
by means of co‐crea[ve and adap[ve research methods,
as well as itera[ve process that nurture the unthinkable
and thus, prepare businesses for the future and
make them to stand out as FORERUNNERS.”
Be a forerunner:
Create your own Vision and Future Path

13. Thank you! / At your service!
Minna Koskelo
Business Designer,
Futures Thinking lecturer at Laurea University of Applied Sciences
E‐mail: minna.koskelo@gmail.com / fi.linkedin.com/in/minnakoskelo/
Anu K. Nousiainen
Value & Business Designer,
Futures Thinking lecturer at Laurea University of Applied Sciences
E‐mail: nuflow.anuk@gmail.com / fi.linkedin.com/in/anuknousiainen/
.