The informing function of foresight refers to generation of insights regarding the dynamics of change, future challenges and options of steering measures and policies.
Keep the foresight practitioner engaged to connect the foresight investment with results and to keep the implementation team informed of ongoing marketplace changes.
Those responsible for drafting the Strategy said the Foresight report encouraged them to draft a Strategy that: (1) provided a framework to bring everything together (2) addressed the environmental determinants of diet and activity (3) incorporated a wide range of stakeholders and (4) was informed by existing evidence as much as possible.
Awareness raising – increasing the understanding of target audiences with regard to the need, value, etc. of foresight; Informing – providing information that can be useful for the improvement of planning and decision-making; Enabling – providing tools for the better management of uncertainty associated with the future; and, Influencing – shaping the policy, strategies, research priorities, etc.
The method may be used in discursive foresight processes to inform strategy formulation of firms or policy makers who see a utility in furthering the innovation field.
The foresight process also includes complementing and informing decision-making and planning processes.
We approach the topic through the three major functions [3] of foresight to support policy-making: 1) informing, 2) facilitation and 3) guiding.
As the exercise was part of a broader foresight project, the findings are expected to also inform and feed further research and policy work about energy transformations.
Prof Beddington commissioned the study as part of the Government Office for Science's Foresight programme - the influential Foresight reports look ahead to highlight emerging trends in science and technology with a view to informing policies across government departments.
Therefore, the Foresight process is being proposed as a helping tool to acquire valuable knowledge in order to inform decision-makers when they formulate future policies.
