Futures…

Dr Ben Swift

…of Individuals and Institutions · Wright Hall Leadership Symposium ‘22

I acknowledge the First Australians on whose traditional lands we meet, and pay respect to the elders past and present.

my journey

an individual path

maths UG → computing PhD → computing academic

now the Educational Experiences lead at the School of Cybernetics

institutionalised, for sure

what is cybernetics?

the study of purposeful, self-regulating systems

futures

why futures?

the ways we think about the future shape the systems we build — both individual and institutional — and vice versa

futures is a set of practices for thinking differently about what’s ahead

the thing from the future

a participatory keynote

in a ____ future, there is a ____ related to ____ … what is it?

example: Travel Bits

a snack whose Italy flavour gives you the smells, tastes and sounds of sitting on the grand canal

it’s the thing from the future time

possible? preferable?

grab the post-its left at your station — discuss how possible and preferable each thing is

the punchline

the ways we think about the future affect the systems we build — individual and institutional — and vice versa