The Orthogonal Bet Nick Foster on "Could Should Might Don’t"
Oct 29, 2025
Nick Foster, a renowned designer and futurist who has shaped future-oriented design for major brands like Dyson and Google X, discusses his book, *Could Should Might Don’t*. He explores how organizations engage with futures design and the common pitfalls in forecasting. Foster introduces his taxonomy of future-thinking, emphasizing the need for balance and intentionality. He shares insights on using science fiction effectively and advocates for a grounded approach to envisioning 'the future mundane'—making futures relatable and realistic.
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Use The Four Futures Modes
- Use four complementary modes when thinking about the future: Could, Should, Might, and Don't.
- Spend time in each mode to avoid biased, non-rigorous futures thinking.
Single-Mode Futures Are Fragile
- Many practitioners favor one futures mode (often 'should') and miss blind spots the others expose.
- Fuller rigor requires deliberately exploring all four perspectives.
Build Futures Muscle With Small Rituals
- If resources are limited, create small rituals like a five-minute 'what then?' at meetings to build future-thinking.
- Introduce might, could, and don't incrementally to broaden a should-focused audience.
