A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

The next episode for narrative foresight;




AuthorsHeinonen, Sirkka; Virmajoki, Veli; Viitamäki, Riku

PublisherElsevier

Publication year2026

Journal: Futures

Article number103876

Volume182

ISSN0016-3287

eISSN1873-6378

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2026.103876

Publication's open availability at the time of reportingOpen Access

Publication channel's open availability Partially Open Access publication channel

Web address https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016328726001187

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/526589447

Self-archived copy's licenceCC BY

Self-archived copy's versionPublisher`s PDF


Abstract

Narratives serve as powerful tools in futures studies, as they enable people to engage with different types of futures through identification, emotional connection, and immersion. To establish this, we contribute to narrative foresight by introducing the narratives-with-branches methodology which is a systematic approach for translating participatory ideas into possible futures. To be more specific, we discuss four narratives concerning futures of hybrid work, each constructed around paradoxes and tipping points that open space for thinking of possible future trajectories. The narratives were developed and refined through a multi-stage process involving expert consultation, stakeholder engagement, and a participatory workshop we mainly focus on. In the narratives-with-branches methodology, workshop-generated ideas are interpreted as inputs, formulated into episodes, and clustered into episode themes. We classify these themes as repeatingephemeral, or obscure, corresponding to plausiblepossible, and radical futures respectively. While we focus on the use of the methodology only in one case, we discuss how the methodology provides a conceptual machinery for branching narratives in structured but flexible ways. We discuss how collective intelligence in the form of a workshop discussion can branch baseline narratives toward preferred futures and how the methodology can be seen which branches are plausible, possible, or radical. The methodology offers futures researchers and practitioners a scalable framework, due to its structured yet flexible nature, to practice participatory foresight to harness collective intelligence. We conclude by reflecting on the distinctive capacity of narratives to bring together often missed individual level psychology with systemic changes.



Keywords:
Futures of workFutures of work lifefutures studiesMethodologyNarratives

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Funding information in the publication
The research project “T‐winning Spaces 2035” was funded by NextGenerationEU and the Research Council of Finland (Grant number 353326).


Last updated on 03/08/2026 09:53:33 AM