Study Guide

Learning outcomes

Student is able to:
- explain and analyse change in working life
- analyse change drivers of different organizations
- analyse the consequences of changes in working life to organisations and
- apply future research methods and process in designing new ways of working -scenarios

Teaching methods

Our world and work are in a rapid and irreversible change that is very hard to understand or to keep up to. It is difficult to foresee were we will be in 10 or 15 or even in 5 years from now. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, we can obtain skills and mindset about how future(s) builds up. In my opinion, understanding how future(s) evolve maybe be one of the most crucial skills and abilities in today's world.

This course serves as a platform for two purposes: it helps you to formulate a picture of where the profession of your choice is heading, and through that exercise, to gain basic skills and mindset to understand the future(s).

During the course we will analyse future(s) of various professions, understand what trends are affecting them, and share your insights with your fellow students. The course is online, and the forecasting work will be done in teams. BUT... before you skip the course because of team work, please take a moment and read the box 'Time and location' first.

Course is excellent for anyone interested in understanding the future of work and gaining experience in forecasting, both for studies and to be used in practice.

Location and time

Course is executed online, and project work is being done, unfortunately, in teams. Team work is necessary because you cannot do successful forecasting individually ;) But let me assure you, pressuring one's ideas about the future by using systematic forecasting tools and with the help of peers is not only more inspiring but also challenges you to think out-of-box. So take a chance and join the course!

Co-operation with working life and/or RDI

This course is primarily about work and secondarily about forecasting. We'll be focusing on knowledge-intensive work (in Finnish 'asiantuntijatyö') so any organisation that is interested in understanding the future of their spesific professions is a good candidate for case organization.

Please feel free to contact any organization that you'd consider an interesting case or even maybe your future employee?

Important dates

13.1.2025 Canvas opens
31.1.2025 Orientative questions deadline
5.2.2025 Work and organisations Zoom 16:30 – 19:30
28.2.2025 Project plan deadline
5.3.2025 Forecasting the future Zoom 16:30 – 20:30
6.4.2025 Project results deadline
17.4.2025 Peer reviewing
28.4.2025 Project presentations Zoom 16:30 – 20:30
9.5.2025 Final project report deadline

Further information for students

During this course, we will be looking at the future of work from several perpectives, and summarize our findings in what changes are required in the organisations and leadership in the future.

Our focus is on knowledge-intensive organisations and knowledge work, but you can consider other types of organisations and work in your project teams, if you so desire.

Lectures will be for your orientation and inspiration, and knowledge sharing is highly appreciated.

Grading scale

H-5