Horizon Scanning is important for improving organisations' strategic radar and intelligence, and establishing a sound knowledge base for decision-making.

Drawing on a wealth of sources - trends, databases, think tanks, market research organisations and an extensive network of leading edge thinkers - Outsights designs and provides bespoke horizon scanning services to identify, track, record and monitor medium- to long-term futures trends. These trends can then be used in sense-making exercises to understand relevance for the organisation.

Using this particular expertise, Outsights in partnership with Ipsos MORI Horizons developed the Sigma Scan (www.sigmascan.org), an online database on the future trends for the UK Government. This searchable online database is a challenging set of papers looking out to 2050, which is being used to inform both Outsights and the UK Government's Futures work. We also draw upon the scanning that our research team conducts around our 21 Drivers for the 21st Century^TM programme.

Tomorrow's World Today: Outsights On the Challenges of Horizon Scanning

A review of the Sigma Scan programme (www.sigmascan.org) developed by Outsights and Ipsos MORI for the UK Government, and how it can lead to action.

UK Government Futures

A wide survey of futures thinking in Government with projects completed by Outsights using the Sigma Scan (www.sigmascan.org) and scenario thinking.