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How might we let you step into the worlds of the future?

Futures Forum 2026

Overview
Nobody can predict the future. Not an analyst, not a big tech developer, not even a futurist. But what we can do is imagine the many possible ways that tomorrow can take shape in an effort to thrive in any possible future. This is the purpuse of the University of Cincinnati's strategic foresight research lab, one of only three undergraduate labs across the country doing this type of work. Each year the team conducts a year's worth of research then shares that work at the Futures Forum. Last year, I designed the posters for the first every forum and this year I got to do it again bigger and badder.
Type
Graphic Design
Experiental Design
Team Credit
Kat Burke
Date
Spring 2026

What is the Futures Forum

During the Future Forum, attendees are invited to sit in on industry panels and keynote speakers from experts (hey there's me!). Then, they are invited to step into our curated experienced where they can not learn about our research but step into the worlds of tomorrow.

Early Digital Sketches

Early digital sketches of the forums form explored different ways to literally represent the idea of a diverging time moving between present and futures. Overtime this would be refined into the four poster series.

But before the Futures Forum could happen other projects had to take shape...

The Foresight Lab Logo

In previous years, strategic foresight research was housed under UC's NEXT Innovation Scholar's Program. However, as the scope of our continued to increase, it became neccessary to create a new identity. The focus of this identity was to serve as a visual shorthand for our thoughtleadership, which had extended to companies like US Banks, leaders in the field like the Forum for the Futures, and in online spaces like Substack.

The Foresight Lab Logo

The meaning behind the logo comes from this visual, a staple in any strategic foresight cirriculum. In the logo, the highlighted red represented the third horizon, or the emerging far future.

SXSW 2026

Before hosting the Futures Forum, the team traveled to SXSW 2026 to present some of our work. Together, the team developed an experiential showcase that had participant complete an innovation passport in order to be entered into a drawing. Twelve kitschy stickers were made to be handed out as well as a madlib activity.

The Undisciplined By Design Podcast

While our in-person engagement is crucial, it is through online platforms that the Foresight Lab keeps a continous stream of content. Key to that is the Undisciplined by Design podcast. This year the podcast launched on youtube.

What is it that we are showcasing?

The Futures Forum involves showcasing all kinds of though provoking work, but at the core are two things. First, the driver descriptions which are on the main posters. Second, are the artifacts. These are imaginged pieces of design that someone may encounter in their day-to-day life in the future. On the right are a series of posters for an "enhanced" olympic games.