From the time of enrollment, you have six months to complete course requirements and pass the credential exam. You may move at your own pace during this period.
While there is a time limit for the coursework and assessment, you will never lose access to all of your course materials.
We’ve provided some guidelines for navigating the timeline based on your lifestyle and prior foresight experience.
Lesson Format
The program is organized into seven lessons, each centered on a core topic in Natural Foresight. Additional lessons include the current Program Overview, Office Hours, and Certified Foresight Practitioner assessment.
Within each of the core lessons, you will find:
- Learning Objectives: Outcomes for each lesson included in the introductory video.
- Topics: Structured learning units that guide you through a series of lessons, supported by lecture videos, and text.
- Discussion Boards or Self Reflections: Opportunities to connect ideas to your own work and share with the learning community.
- Flashcards: Key terms and tools that will appear on the assessment.
- Knowledge Reviews: A 10-15 question quiz to help you confirm your understanding and prepare for the assessment. An 80% or higher is required on each; however, you make retake the quiz as many times as needed/desired.
- Supplementary Learning: Additional materials to deepen your exploration of the topics. These concepts will not be tested on.
- Futures in Practice: Real-world case studies connected to the lesson’s theme. These examples illustrate how Natural Foresight methods are used in organizations, communities, and strategic contexts. These concepts will not be tested on.
Note: You must hit complete on the bottom of each lesson and topic page.
Textbook Reading Requirement
The The Guide to Natural Foresight®: An Official Handbook for Professional Foresight Certification is required reading material for a deep understanding of Natural Foresight, additional context to the course content, and information that will appear on the Certified Foresight Practitioner assessment at the culmination of your course.
Within two weeks of enrollment, you will receive a physical copy of The Guide. A digital version is available for you immediately under your course materials.
The program is designed so that the reading and lectures align directly. Lesson 1 → Chapter 1, Lesson 2 → Chapter 2, and so on through Lesson 7.
Each module will require about one hour of reading. We recommend you re-read the chapters before testing.
Note: The course materials do not cover all aspects presented in the Guide, which is why it is pertinent to deeply read the Guide.
Office Hours Requirements
Enrollees are required to attend two, virtual Office Hours prior to sitting for the Certified Foresight Practitioner assessment.
These one-hour sessions will provide an opportunity to:
- Practice tools
- Ask questions about the material
- Create community and learn different perspectives
- Explore how Natural Foresight applies to real-world challenges
Office hours will be offered monthly at different times to accommodate participants from multiple time zones. Visit the Office Hours lesson to plan ahead.
After each Office Hour, you are required to submit a template to gain credit for your attendance. If you attend more than two office hours, which we encourage, you are not required to submit templates for those. These templates may be found in the Office Hours lesson.
Discussion Board Posts / Self Reflections Requirements
Each lesson requires either a Discussion Board post or submission of a Self Reflection.
About the Discussion Board: Work is evolving to be more asynchronous, however collaboration remains a critical component for foresight. Collaborating on the discussion board helps hone your “meshing mindset,” the ability to un-silo disciplines and see the “spaces in-between” ideas. This collective sense-making supports diversity of thought, opening windows to new perspectives.
About Self Reflections: These prompts provide a deeper understanding of the material, while also contextualizing your learnings as a blueprint for your future path. When you successfully pass your Certified Foresight Practitioner assessment, you will unlock a one-hour advising call with our team to layout an action plan for your specialized pathway for the next three years of everyday Natural Foresight practice. Your responses to these prompts stay in your course and will be considered during this mapping conversation.
Assessment Requirement
Once all lessons have been completed – including discussion board posts, reflections, and Office Hour attendance – the Certified Foresight Practitioner assessment will be available.
The exam is one hour and includes 50 multiple choice questions that assess your understanding of the key Natural Foresight principles and tools . Again, anything in the textbook may appear on the exam, so use it as your primary study-guide.
You may use your book and notes during the exam, however keep in mind the time limit.
You have one attempt to achieve an 80% or higher. Individuals who earn their designation will receive follow up communication with their Certified Foresight Practitioner designation and digital badge and how to specialize the credential over its three-year term.
Earning this credential signals that you have developed a strong foundation in futures thinking and the Natural Foresight approach to navigating uncertainty and shaping possibility.
Tips
Here are some best practices to improve your learning experience:
- Read the respective textbook chapter before diving into the lesson.
- There is a PDF of each individual chapter provided at the start of each lesson.
- Vocabulary appears in bold.
- Learning objectives are at the beginning of each chapter.
- Carve out dedicated time for your learning journey. Schedule weekly program-only time.
- Access the program from a desktop / laptop device.
- Bookmark the my.tfsx course home page to your browser.
- Keep a notebook to capture insights, Ahas, and important ideas.