One thing you might notice in this review, which was not the case in previous ones, is the use of Global North examples. I would like to reassure everyone that this was an intentional choice. Our mission to open space at the table for Global South solutions is not meant to exclude those from the Global North.

Read more

The next Purpose Scanning Workshop begins on February 19th, inviting a new cohort to collectively explore emerging signals, connect patterns, and deepen their futures literacy through shared sensemaking.

Read more

Halloween is coming up, and as a literal Halloween baby (born on October 31st), I decided to draw inspiration from the spooky date and share some weak signals and future trends from my own Horizon Scanning research that genuinely scare me!

Deepfake Revenge Porn
As a woman, I grew up surrounded by well-meaning, traumatized older women who taught me countless ways to avoid the forms of aggression I was most likely to face simply because of my gender.

Now I understand that it never really mattered what a woman wears, says, does, or how she behaves. The simple fact that we exist in a patriarchal society leads many men to believe they have some kind of right over us. Even women who leave no possible “excuse” for harassment or violence—like those wearing hijabs that cover their entire bodies while walking in their neighborhoods in broad daylight—are not spared.

AI has only worsened this power imbalance. A new wave of deepfake revenge porn is flooding online, turning women around the world—many of them underage—into unwilling spectacles in videos they not only didn’t agree to make but never participated in. And the obvious culprit, most of the time, isn’t even charged for their actions, setting a dangerous precedent for the future of our society.

Deep-Sea Creatures Rising

As ocean temperatures rise and water becomes increasingly polluted, deep-sea marine life is more frequently surfacing from the darkness it once inhabited, often ending up stranded and dying on shore.

From Oarfish sightings and Barreleye encounters to 13-foot-long squids washed up on beaches, these appearances are more than ecological anomalies — they’re warnings, signaling just how far our planet’s systems are collapsing.

AI Hallucinations

AI isn’t supposed to create anything new, as it is trained on existing content, learning from patterns of what already exist. However, somehow, it sometimes creates completely fake or misleading information and present it as a fact. This eerie fabrication are now known as “halluccinations”, and unfortunately, happens more often that you’d expect.

At first glance, this glitches can seem harmless, but when AI systems start to confidently rewrite history and reality, the line between what’s real and what’s fiction begins to blur.

This is particularly worrying as these tools are now being used to create everything from news articles to academic research, meaning they have the potential to distort collective knowledge in a world already flooded with misinformation.

Halloween is a time for ghosts, goblins, and ghouls — but the real horrors might already be here, lurking online, in our oceans, and inside the algorithms shaping our future. Are we ready to face them?

Want to spot the trends before they haunt us?

In my Purpose Scanning Workshop, you’ll learn practical horizon scanning techniques and how to turn weak signals into actionable insights. By the end, you’ll know how to create your own trend report — a skill to anticipate the future, not just fear it.

Be the first to know when the next workshop opens. Sign up here to get notified!!

Welcome to the first Purpose Scanning Review - a living archive from Purpose Scanning by Future Resources.

Future Resources is an open global platform to demystify, democratize, and disseminate foresight and futures with a focus on the Global South. Purpose Scanning by Future Resources is a workshop that teaches and applies the Purpose Scanning methodology, inspired by the traditional foresight methodology, horizon scanning.

Below we'll share our process of developing and testing the Purpose Scanning methodology and workshop. Hope you enjoy reading and join us in upcoming workshops!

As we set out to create the Purpose Scanning Workshop, our goal was to transform the baseline of most (if not all) foresight research, the horizon scanning methodology, into a practical learning experience.

We chose 'Plural and decolonized futures’ as a theme since it encapsulates the very essence of Future Resources. However, we have come to realize that the methodology we have created can easily be modified to encompass other themes.

For our pilot program, we selected 14 individuals from different backgrounds and regions from Brazil, the country where Future Resources first came to be in 2020.

It was in the early days of development, that we decided the immersive experience should start with a introductory lecture, where participants can learn the basis of foresight (the difference of foresight and forecast, concepts of trends, weak signals, future cone and the STEEPLE analysis) in order to level up the playfield as much as possible. Decreasing gaps in knowledge about futures literacy and the foresight industry helped create a fair base of knowledge about the subject from which to grow before starting the process of scanning for weak signals.

By our next meeting, all participants had already spotted more than 50 signals and done their asynchronous reading on all of the 40 weak signals we'd selected for the sensemaking workshop.

During the 3 hour sensemaking workshop, participants were immersed in our methodology, diving deep into their own experiences and unique background knowledge in lively discussions during the signal weaving and sensemaking process.

The workshop was followed by a week of research and hard work, where each participant, assigned in a duo or trio, researched and made sense of their weak signal, consolidating their findings in a shared report.

What I bring to you today is the result of that.

From the beginning, we were able to experience the joy of a diverse and plural group, all of whom had very rich remarks and examples to share.

Two topics became evidently more prominent during the horizon scanning portion: Ancestral Futures and Collective Well-being. During our sensemaking workshop, as we began to choose which trends and weak signals the groups would research in depth, the latter was chosen.

The signals were divided into Local Food Circuits, Conscious Tourism, Systemic Silver Rise, Care as a Foundation, Plural Neuroarchitecture, and Digital Counterflows.

Local Food Circuits

Despite the industry’s massification, the group observed a growing systemic resistance rooted in traditional food practices, celebrating ancestral methods such as local farming and farmers’ markets.

Quick Deep Dive: Food as a mediator of affective relationships, ancestral memories and collective care, not just as a commodity; Strengthening of community kitchens as resistance, which could signal a future where food security is built collectively, from the ground up, decolonizing the centralized model of food distribution; Conscious preference for buying and consuming locally produced food, which represents the revaluation of the microterritory as a space of autonomy and belonging; Consumers are once again prioritizing natural or minimally processed foods, instead of ultra-processed foods, increasing demand for quality foods, family farmers and small businesses; Organic food has gained prestigious status becoming a luxury not many can afford, which highlights the conflict between sustainable health and the logic of status consumption.

Conscious Immersive Tourism

Values ​​immersive connection experiences that encompass well-being, sustainability, awareness and appreciation of diversity.

Quick Deep Dive: Raise awareness and appreciates cultural diversity, especially when following afrodiasporic routes, transforming urban narratives and strengthening the local economy; Aims to bring people into contact with nature, inviting them to reconnect intimately, promoting the healing of urban afflictions; Values ​​local entrepreneurs and thus promotes the generation of work, employment and income, paving the way for local economic development.

Systemic Silver Rise

The 50+ community is challenging aging stereotypes, signaling a societal shift from youth-centric ideals to intergenerational, diverse, emotionally healthy, and community-driven experiences.

Quick Deep Dive: The anti-corporative ageism movement signals a shift in which work is no longer defined solely by physical vigor or the idea of ​​“productive age.”; The silver economy positions the 50+ demographic as a powerful economic force, reshaping markets as brands compete for their attention and spending, while this generation drives demand for immersive experiences, digital innovation, and culturally relevant products; Formation of 50+ communities is growing, signaling that the sociability of individuals of this age group is shifting from a family-based model to one that values ​​chosen communities, interactive networks, and in-person meetings mediated by technology; The appreciation of accumulated experience gains space in cultural content that highlights life stories, professional trajectories and emotional memories of people 50+, breaking with the logic of invisibility of older people in mass culture, repositioning experience as an aspirational resource; The presence of lasting affections among older LGBTQIAP+ people transforms the queer experience into a legitimate way of life, affirming continuity, stability, and belonging over time.

Care as a Foundation

Care, which has historically been delegated to women, and even more invisibilized for Black women, is emerging as a core principle, repositioning it as a central political and economic asset for societal well-being.

Quick Deep Dive: New digital affirmative health apps solutions and collectives that combine clinical care and activism, recognize the experiences of marginalized bodies challenging exclusionary urban planning and signaling the need for public policies that prioritize the well-being of all people while combating discrimination and vulnerabilities in healthcare, building a practice that is an act of justice, increasing case resolution and strengthening the healthcare ecosystem, highlighting care as a structural asset, with urban, symbolic and relational implications; Laws such as the Maria da Penha, punish aggressors and establishes protective measures and public policies that recognize protection and care as fundamental rights; Spaces such as Casa 1 welcomes LGBT+ youth who have been kicked out of their homes by their families, offering temporary housing, a cultural center, and a free mental health clinic as practices of community and political care.

Plural Neuroarchitecture

BringsPlural Neuroarchitecture brings the possibility of creating environments that value local knowledge, cultures, and local ways of life by designing cities, schools, hospitals, and homes that integrate regional materials, cultural references, and forms of community sociability, fostering belonging, health, and quality of life.

Quick Deep Dive: The appropriation of third places by collectives that evoke cultural identity fosters a feeling of belonging to the group and, consequently, transforms people’s relationship with space and cities; Initiatives to include children at the center of urban mobility, promote safer, more walkable and humane streets for all; Emerging practices such as Casas de Brincar highlight a societal response to urban risks by creating safe, screen-free environments that safeguard play, autonomy, and the extension of childhood; Neuroscience-driven architectural design can act as a response to climate change by creating environments that strengthen community resilience, protect cognitive health, and promote environmental justice.

Digital Counter-Flows

This resistance model that emerge to combat big tech's dominance points to a future reconfiguration of the digital ecosystem, where the logic of metric maximization and constant attention may be replaced by more sustainable, transparent, and socially aligned models.

Quick Deep Dive: The “demetrication” of networks suggests futures in which attention and the value of interactions do not depend on numbers; Cellphone banning laws in schools points to futures in which government and schools take an active role in limiting screen use, reinforcing human interaction and improving the quality of learning; The creation of alternative social networks promotes digital autonomy and serves as alternatives to the dominant logic of big techs; The recent popularization of offline hobbies points to futures in which well-being guides life choices and in which analog and digital practices coexist in a more balanced way.

One of the biggest debates during the sensemaking portion of the workshop was if the sober movement, growing in popularity in the Global North, made sense in the Brazilian and Global South context. This was particularly meaningful as the theme of the program was 'plural and decolonial futures'.

One of the participants raised the question due to her experience and daily observations in one of São Paulo’s lower-income neighborhoods, where alcohol and drugs remain an integral part of nightlife, to which most participants outside of large urban cities also agreed.

In juxtaposition, participants from higher-income spaces, noticed the movement's growth in the spaces they attend, although, part of the group mentioned there were some mirroring involved in the creation of sober third-spaces such alcohol-free bars and daytime parties.

As a result, the group decided against working on the sober vertical, as it is still a signal that only encompasses a small section of the upper class, thus, it is not the reality of the country, or of the Global South as a whole.

As the objective of the pilot program was to be able to find any loose knots on the process of the workshop, we were able to do so with every step of the way. However, a few non-structural questions are worth mentioning:

Q: At what stage of a foresight process is Horizon Scanning important?

A: At the very beginning, as horizon scanning is the base of the foresight process. Once you have defined other key elements (such as understanding the client’s challenge or question, deciding on the research design, methodological apprach and agreeing on deliverables), the first step usually is the launch of horizon scanning.

Q: How can we continuously monitor these weak signals to adjust our strategy over time?

First, I recommend establishing a daily scanning practice by reading a variety of different media channels and formats, so you can start monitoring the panorama, identifying patterns and spotting change.

Next, begin grouping these signals (for example, using a Trello board to cluster weak signals according to criteria like impact, relevance, and more). Make sure to set aside time each week to analyze your findings, looking for recurring themes and shifts that could indicate larger trends.

Remember that foresight is always a participatory practice and should include others. Incentivize your colleagues to do the same and schedule regular exchanges with them to make sense of what everyone is spotting.

This practice will generate valuable insights throughout the process, which can inform strategy development and policymaking. Bring these insights into team meetings for discussion and reflection, and when possible, action.

Over time, this continuous monitoring will create a dynamic view of the landscape, enabling you to anticipate changes and act proactively rather than reactively in your strategic decisions.

A special thanks to our collaborators who participated in the Purpose Scanning Workshop Pilot Program, co-creating the report which was the base of this archive: Amanda Abreu, Bárbara Ribeiro, Beatriz Vivanco, Caio Couto, Cristiano Borges Franco, Gisah Vieira, Julyane Chaves, Luisa Müller, Luiza Magalhães, Mariana Paz, Natália Caetano, Rangel Ferreira e Rodrigo Ramos.

Our next Portuguese-speaking sessions of the Purpose Scanning Workshop will be happening this November. If you would like to know more about it or sign up, check out the official Purpose Scanning website.

Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when new workshop dates are announced. Stay ahead, receive exclusive updates, and secure your spot in upcoming workshops!