Foresight in cities: on the possibility of a 'strategic urban intelligence'

摘要

Purpose - This paper aims to review the challenges of urban foresight via an analytical method: apply this to the city demonstrations on the UK Foresight Future of Cities: and explore the implications for ways forward. Design/methodology/approach - The methodology is based on the principles of co-evolutionary complex systems, a newly developed toolkit of "synergistic mapping and design", and its application in a "synergy foresight" method. Findings - The UK Foresight Future of Cities is work in progress, but some early lessons are emerging-the need for transparency in foresight method - and the wider context of strategic policy intelligence. Practical implications - The paper has practical recommendations, and a set of propositions, (under active discussion in 2015), which are based on the analysis. Originality/value - The paper aims to demonstrate an application of "synergy foresight" with wide benefits for cities and the communities within them.