Foresight & Futures Thinking
for Corporate Innovation
Painting a compelling picture of the art of the possible using
data-driven trends and imaginative stimuli
Co-founded by Michael Hyzy and Michael Marshall, we offer futures thinking and strategic foresight programs designed for corporate innovation teams and government agencies. Our approach is highly interactive, experimental, poetic, and gritty.
Get a Sneak Peek of Our Flagship Workshop
Artistic Disruption for Business Innovation, featured at SXSW
Experience the intersection of creativity and strategic foresight
Our Approach to Futures Thinking
Our methodology is inspired by historical futurists, modern futurists, surrealism, situationalism, design thinking, and systems thinking.
Each offering can be delivered as a workshop (half-day or full-day) or a short consulting engagement, structured in 4–8 hour weekly chunks to suit our part-time practice.
Anticipate Change
Identify emerging trends and shifts before they disrupt your industry
Envision Possibilities
Explore multiple future scenarios to expand strategic thinking
Inspire Innovation
Unlock creative potential and drive breakthrough ideas
We help organizations anticipate change, envision possibilities, and inspire innovation through highly interactive and creative processes.
Our Four Core Offerings
Comprehensive futures thinking programs tailored to your organization's needs
Futures Thinking Preparation
Introductory Workshop
Build strategic foresight capabilities and align your team around high-stakes decisions
Strategic Foresight
Trends & Scenario Planning
Trends analysis and scenario planning to anticipate and prepare for change
Designing Futures
Speculative Design Workshops
Create tangible artifacts from possible futures to unlock strategic thinking
Creative Disruption
Experimental Workshop
Experimental workshop to break conventional thinking and unleash radical creativity
Our Methodology
Rigorous frameworks and creative processes for comprehensive foresight
Foresight Frameworks
STEEPLE
Framework for scanning macro-environmental change.
Social
Demographics, culture, behaviors
Technological
Innovations, emerging capabilities
Economic
Market forces and business model shifts
Environmental
Climate and sustainability pressures
Political
Policy and governance trends
Legal & Ethical
Regulation, data privacy, and moral implications
Our foresight methodologies bridge scanning, sense-making, and strategic design.
Scenario Planning Framework
We develop 3–4 scenario worlds using proven methodologies to create coherent narratives of how the future might unfold
Rich Detail
Operating environment, customer behaviors, and competitive landscape
Implications Analysis
What each future means for strategy, products, or policies
Strategic Insights
Opportunities and risks that arise in each scenario
Data-Driven Foundation
Grounded in plausibility using real-world signals and research
Why Organizations Hire Futurists
Strategic advantages that drive long-term success and resilience
Anticipate Change
Identify emerging trends and shifts before they disrupt your industry
Envision Possibilities
Explore multiple future scenarios to expand strategic thinking
Inspire Innovation
Unlock creative potential and drive breakthrough ideas
Build a Futures Culture
At the end of these engagements, your organization will not only have valuable artifacts and strategic guidance, but also a team of employees who have learned futurist skills themselves.
See Ahead
Anticipate change and identify emerging opportunities
Imagine Boldly
Explore radical possibilities and creative solutions
Act with Insight
Make informed decisions that shape what comes next
Build Resilience
Develop organizational capacity for ongoing foresight
Reignite Creativity
Inspire teams and drive innovation culture
We would love to partner with you on this journey and help you discover intellectual and creative vistas that translate into real-world innovation and resilience.
The Minds Behind the Method
Two innovators united by a shared vision: to help organizations break free from conventional thinking
Michael Hyzy
Co-Founder, Chief Innovation Officer
Mike leads the product innovation and strategy practice at CGI and advises Fortune 500 executives on digital transformation. He is a published author and keynote speaker on strategic foresight and innovation. Mike has 15+ years of experience in UX design, product development, and applied futures thinking. An accomplished facilitator, Mike has led numerous executive workshops and creative foresight sessions, earning a reputation for blending imaginative exercises with actionable business strategy.
Michael Marshall
Co-Founder, Chief Creative Officer
Michael leads user experience research at United Airlines, bringing a futurist lens to product innovation and customer experience strategy. He has orchestrated creative brainstorming workshops across the United States, helping teams embrace unconventional exercises and generate compelling ideas. Known for his playful facilitation style – from improv games to visual storytelling – Michael energizes participants to push past conventional thinking. His work in United's Airshop innovation lab has been praised for inspiring teams to "dream up the art of the possible" for the future of travel.
Together, They Founded Chicago Futures Salon
A community that brings corporate innovators together to explore bold new ideas, blending intellectual rigor with creative provocation to inspire visionary strategy and breakthrough thinking.
Client Testimonials
Hear from leaders who've experienced our transformative approach
Let's Shape the Future Together
Ready to explore what's possible? Get in touch to schedule a consultation or learn more about our offerings.
Get in Touch
Email Us
Reach out directly to discuss your needs
Chicago Futures Salon
Connect with our vibrant community of futurists and innovators
About the Facilitators
Michael Hyzy & Michael Marshall are co-founders of the Chicago Futures Salon with backgrounds in innovation consulting and strategy.
Michael H. focuses on big-picture strategy and analysis, while Michael M. brings a flair for design and experiential techniques. Together, they offer complementary perspectives for comprehensive foresight work.