Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top You've loaded an old revision of the document! If you save it, you will create a new version with this data. Media Files==== Scenario Building at M-ITI ==== A scenario building workshop with nine researchers from [[http://www.m-iti.org/|Madeira Interactive Technologies Institute]], 20140116-17. ==== Why should a research institute exist? ==== In this two-day workshop the participants asked themselves what are possible futures for an academic institution such as M-ITI and what might be their "raison d'être" in the years to come. At present, research institutions are stretched between fierce competition, bureaucratic inertia, job (in)security and a strong desire to create a culture of sharing and innovation - a culture from which transformative experiences can emerge, enabling people to live the best possible lives in harmony with their environments. What is M-ITI like in this context, how will European Research Area (ERA) develop and what impact will its future have on M-ITI? What is the profile of the person who could become the interface between M-ITI and ERA? How would this person work in the existing M-ITI context and team? [[http://www.m-iti.org/|M-ITI website]]\\ [[http://erachair.m-iti.org|EraChair website]] The core question for the participants of the workshop was **"Why should M-ITI exist?"** {{:future_fabulators:duration-at-miti.jpg?direct|}} //Sociometric spread: How long have you been working at M-ITI? Left (longest) -> right (Shortest)// ==== Key Factors ==== * Availability of resources (financial, infrastructure...) * Attractive environment for top people committed to M-ITI culture * Clarity of research scope * Close & fertile relationships with wider networks (partners, university, publishing in top conferences) * Public outreach (communication, relevance, perception...) ==== Macro Trends ==== A selection from identified macro trends: * Globalisation & international collaboration (diversity / inequality) * Sustainability and challenging degradation of environment, pollution and energy security * Innovation outside of academia, citizen science * Behavioural change towards more sustainable lifestyles, through technology * Growing communities of practice around emerging technologies (maker cultures, DIY-tech dev...) * Social isolation (including aging) * Political inertia and the rise of e-democracy * Permanent economic crisis * Innovation in Sensing technologies <html><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/foam/12282260586/" title="Social & political macro trends by _foam, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7356/12282260586_55abafc056_c.jpg" width="800" height="627" alt="Social & political macro trends"></a></html> ==== Critical Uncertainties ==== The participants found the following trends and factors extremely important for the core question: * Commitment to M-ITI Culture * Relationships with wider networks * Globalisation (both positive and negative aspects, such as diversity and inequality) * Publishing in top HCI conferences * Providing an attractive environment for top people * Innovation outside of academia * Emerging communities of practice around technology * Sustainability and behavioural change ===== Scenarios ==== Two scenario axes (critical uncertainties): * Is the research institute an attractive environment for top researchers? * How committed are these researchers to (developing) the organisational culture of the institute? When plotted as the two scenario axes, the following possible futures were revealed: * [[particle accelerator]] * [[further]] * [[zombie swamp]] * [[beer club]] <html><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/foam/12281720935/" title="4scenarios by _foam, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7392/12281720935_8f9ef6e39c_c.jpg" width="620" height="800" alt="4scenarios"></a></html> //NOTE: The workshop focused specifically on M-ITI, but the scenarios have been written as possible futures for research institutes in general.// ==== Debrief ==== As part of this workshop we planned a formal debrief at the M-ITI all hands meeting five days after the workshop. The meeting began with the [[ |summary of the workshop]] and continued with a discussion about the next steps (creating a cafe, a twitter stream, physical exercises, research seminars, a retreat at the end of the semester, sharing the process with ERAChair candidates, etc.) At FoAM we had a more informal [[Erachair debrief]] about the process. {{:future_fabulators:who_do_you_know.jpg?direct|}} //Sociometric exercise: touch the person with whom you work most closely// ---- Back to [[scenarios]] Please fill all the letters into the box to prove you're human. Please keep this field empty: SavePreviewCancel Edit summary Note: By editing this page you agree to license your content under the following license: CC Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International future_fabulators/research_institutes.1391735591.txt.gz Last modified: 2014-02-07 01:13by maja