IMAGINABLE

A fascinating book about how the future does not have to be an undiscovered country.

McGonigal, a future forecaster, game designer, and bestselling author of Reality Is Broken and Superbetter, firmly believes that it is possible to consider the possibilities of the future in a systematic, disciplined way, and her narrative draws on a large body of personal experience, research studies, and knowledge gleaned from her work as a game designer. A good place to start is to imagine the world at a specific future date; McGonigal suggests that 10 years from now is often appropriate. Some things might be the same, and others might be different; the issue is how the pieces will fit together. There are several levels to think about, ranging from the impact on one’s life to the broader social picture. This process can be the basis for more serious modeling to determine the challenges and opportunities of the imagined future and what might happen on the way there. Some changes can begin small and grow into revolutions: Think about how the internet started, for example, and then how it grew to dominate our lives. McGonigal sets out a number of ways to detect emerging trends and then extrapolate them. Her case study on the impact of facial recognition software is particularly interesting—and a little scary. But she emphasizes that you should allow yourself, when constructing an imagined future, to be a bit ridiculous. In fact, the more detail you add, the less crazy the scenarios will seem. Some of the games she describes are for individuals, and some are for groups; the latter can be useful for team bonding, generating ideas, and, of course, having fun. The author includes a number of scenarios as the basis of gaming and discussion, but many readers will find that making up their own is more enjoyable and productive.

A wealth of interesting ideas combined with practical guidance for new thinking.