Client context

A leading R&D centre in smart textiles wanted to look beyond current technologies and explore how their field might evolve in the coming years – evolve across multiple dimensions: as a research lab, an educational institution, and a commercial entity.

What we did

• We ran two connected workshops. During the first one, with the lab’s team, we explored their dual role as R&D lab yet also a part of a university. Using our Future Probing methodology, we gathered a large set of “future signals” from multiple domains reflecting this duality (plus insights on key competitors and emerging business models). As a result of intensive yet playful exploration, we developed a set of future scenarios for the team.

• During the second workshop, with current and potential partners, we built on these scenarios. The team shared their vision, gathered feedback, and explored practical directions, including new application ideas for smart textiles.

• The scenarios and concepts also served as communication tools, helping the team to express not just new fabrics but new “yarns”, powerful narrative threads about the future of their work.

Results

This futuring exercise gave the lab a set of clear strategic directions, partner-backed application ideas, and also an unfolding narrative framework for future innovation. It really positioned them to lead in shaping the emerging field of the smart textile industry.