Magnetic South
A Foresight Engine Collaborative Forecasting Game
As New Zealand seeks to redevelop and rebuild the city of Christchurch in the wake of the 2010-11 earthquakes and continuing aftershocks, some of the decisions made today will shape the city well into the future. But how do residents know what will be needed 20 or 30 years from now?
In the present, people often forget that you can't even imagine what could happen in the future—in 1981, hardly anyone would have guessed that the Internet would be central to how Christchurch does business and keeps in touch. With so much change and uncertainty happening so quickly, how can Christchurch make sure what is put in place now continues to make Christchurch attractive—a magnet—for the future?
On June 24-25, 2011, people all over the world signed up to help the people of Christchurch, NZ, think about their future in the foresight game Magnetic South. Using IFTF's Foresight Engine, they brought tremendous enthusiasm to the questions that face Christchurch in the next decades—so much so that they filled the site to capacity with 8,889 microforcasts.
Magnetic South was one of a series of Christchurch City Council-supported public engagement activities following major earthquakes that affected Christchurch and Canterbury in 2010 and early 2011. Landcare Research teamed up with Christchurch City Council, StratEDGY Strategic Foresight, and the Institute for the Future to run the Magnetic South Foresight Engine game to host a discussion on the future of Christchurch and inform strategic planning for the future of the city.
Game Statistics
June 2011 - Run in conjunction with rebuilding efforts in Christchurch, New Zealand
- Registered Players = 850
- Cards Played = 8,889
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Game Date
Summer 2011