The Futures Cone is a model that first led the way in understanding the meaning of ‘futures’ in the plural, centred on the thesis that there is more than a single future to explore.It starts from the present moment as a point and widens outward like a cone, representing an expanding range of possibilities over time. I use the futures cone in my work to help people step beyond “business as usual,” explore alternative futures, and make more intentional choices in the present so they can move toward the future they prefer.

The P ’s :

Potential

Everything that goes beyond the ‘here and now’ - Anything that can happen beyond the present moment.

Possible

The futures that we think ‘could happen’, provided that we acquire the knowledge we don’t yet possess

Plausible

The futures we think might happen based on our current knowledge about the world and laws of physics.

Projected

A Future that is understood as a continuation of the past through the present - 1 variable of probable futures.

Probable

Futures that are rooted in the present.

Preferable

Futures we would like to see happen. Of course, who the “we” are, varies.

Preposterous

Futures that we judge to be ridiculous, impossible, or we think will never happen