Most people think the future is a straight line, one thing leading to the next, already decided. But that is not true. The future is alive, shaped by the choices we make every day. There are many possible futures we can explore.

First Futures is a free, 4-hour virtual workshop designed to help you imagine different futures and start building the world you actually want to live in. You'll learn simple tools to spot changes happening around you, challenge your assumptions, and design futures that feel more fair, sustainable, and exciting. No experience needed. Just bring your curiosity.

Futures thinking shouldn't be reserved for experts, corporations, or people with fancy degrees. It belongs to everyone. First Futures is built on the belief that exploring the future should be accessible, inclusive, and hands-on. We make futures thinking an everyday practice that helps us shape more sustainable, inclusive, and equitable tomorrows through radical imagination, questioning what we accept as "normal," and challenging the systems that shape our world today.

Delivered via FigJam and Miro so non-designers can access it, this session guides you through six core exercises exploring possibilities, critiquing ideas, designing speculative products and services, and creating future artefacts that disrupt the status quo.

We also offer paid facilitation if you want us to guide your team through the workshop live. Contributions to our free resources are welcome. Help us build more open tools for futures thinking.

Why First Futures?

⚡ Take Back Tomorrow Your future is not something that just happens to you. It is something you build.

🔓 Unlock Your Imagination Most of us are stuck in the "default" future. This workshop gives you the keys to break out.

🛠️ Tools Not Theory We skip the academic fluff and give you practical, hands-on tools you can use immediately.

What You'll Learn

🔮 See the Invisible Learn to spot weak signals and hidden patterns before they become mainstream trends.

🔬 Map the Ripples Use the Futures Wheel to trace how one small change can create massive consequences.

🛸 Design for Tomorrow Move from abstract ideas to tangible prototypes by creating speculative products and services.

💡 Make It Real Turn your vision into a "future artefact" that brings a new world to life.

🧭 Turn "What If" Into Action Walk away with a practical framework to navigate uncertainty and shape the future.

Workshop Details

⏱️ Duration: 3–4 hours

👥 Players: 1–4 participants

📚 Experience Level: Beginner-friendly

🎯 What You'll Need: Pen, paper, imagination, internet

🌐 Format: Self-guided or facilitated

Who It's For

🎨 Designers curious about speculative and critical design.

🧭 Strategists navigating uncertainty.

📖 Educators teaching futures or systems thinking.

👥 Teams exploring multiple possible futures.

✨ Anyone imagining alternatives to the status quo.

Workshop Structure

1. Welcome: Quick intro and what to expect today (5 min)
2. Icebreaker: Meet each other and think about the future (10 min)
3. Spot the Signals: Notice changes happening right now (30 min)
4. Map the Ripples: See how one change creates many consequences (40 min)
5. Explore Futures: Imagine plausible, probable, possible, and preposterous futures (35 min)
6. ☕ Coffee Break (15 min)
7. Design a Product: Invent something new that could exist in one of your futures (45 min)
8. Create an Artefact: Dream up a simple object that would exist if your product/service was real (40 min)
9. Find Opportunities: Spot actions you can take today for a better tomorrow (30 min)
10. Final Thoughts: Share takeaways and one small action you'll try next (10 min)

What's Included

✓ Interactive FigJam & Miro workshop boards

✓ Step-by-step guidance for every exercise

✓ Pro tips to improve your futures design practice

✓ A complete example thread woven throughout the exercises

How To Use

FigJam

1. Go to figma.com in your browser or download the Figma app
2. Log in or create a free account
3. Drag and drop the workshop file into Figma, or click File > Import to upload it

Miro

1. Go to miro.com in your browser or download the Miro app
2. Log in or create a free account
3. Create a new board, then click ... (top left) > Board > Upload from backup to import the .rtb file

License

© 2025 StudioCone

Single-use license for personal or classroom use only.

For commercial workshop facilitation, contact us at cone@studiocone.com for licensing details.

Terms of Use

Restricted Use: These materials are provided solely for personal or educational purposes. You are not permitted to use them, in whole or in part, for training, developing, enhancing, or creating artificial intelligence (AI) models or algorithms without StudioCone's express written consent.

Intellectual Property: All materials are the exclusive intellectual property of StudioCone. Reproduction, distribution, or transmission without authorisation is strictly prohibited.