Future Frictions / Education

More time to explore.
12 possible futures.

Explore the complete education deck, with twelve scenarios to choose from and more time for research, prototyping and responsible implementation.

These scenarios are possible futures to explore, not predictions. Choose one card to start designing.

180 minutes3 hours including a 10-minute break

Choose your challenge ↓

Choose your workshop

90 minutes or 180 minutes?

Both workshops follow the five stages. The longer session gives you more time for interviews, evidence, testing, revision and a practical pilot plan. Each team works on one challenge throughout.

What is included in each workshop
Activity	90-minute sprint	180-minute workshop
Challenge selection	Choose one of 6 scenarios.	Choose one of 12 scenarios.
Introduction	10 minutes · Frame the challenge and select a learner.	15 minutes · Frame the challenge, select a learner and identify evidence needed.
Engage	10 minutes · Use a learner card and a real experience to identify needs.	20 minutes · Conduct a paired interview and refine the learner’s needs.
Evaluate	10 minutes · Identify relevant signals, evidence and assumptions.	20 minutes · Examine two sources and local evidence; challenge assumptions and record uncertainties.
Explore	15 minutes · Generate ideas and identify three promising concepts.	30 minutes · Develop three distinct alternatives, compare them and justify your selection.
Break	No scheduled break.	10 minutes after Explore, with a break timer.
Expand	15 minutes · Create a simple prototype and invite a quick response.	30 minutes · Test with another team, capture feedback and revise the prototype.
Execute	15 minutes · Identify a first implementation step, risks and success measures.	30 minutes · Develop a pilot plan with an owner, safeguards, support, success measures and a review date.
Showcase	10 minutes · Prepare a short showcase and exchange paired pitches and feedback.	20 minutes · Present the concept and receive structured feedback: a benefit, a concern and a next test.
Reflection	5 minutes · Write a future headline and agree a next action.	5 minutes · Write a future headline and agree a next action.
Your takeaway	An initial concept, a simple prototype and a first implementation step.	A tested and revised concept with a practical implementation plan.
Downloads	Formatted Word and PDF records of your responses.	Formatted Word and PDF records, including the additional activities and structured feedback.
Total time	90 minutes	180 minutes, including the break

How to use these cards

Choose one card per team. You do not need to complete every challenge.

Read and discuss. Use the scenario and its three questions to identify a possible difficulty for a learner.
Start your challenge. Select the button on your chosen card. Your scenario and workshop duration will be selected for you.
Begin with a learner. In the workshop, choose a learner card, then answer the Engage prompts. Continue through all five stages to develop, test and plan your idea.

Sprint challenge 01

AI Everywhere

Imagine education ten years from today. Every student has access to a highly capable AI learning companion that provides tutoring, feedback, content generation, coaching and personalised support. Many educational tasks can now be completed with AI assistance.

What becomes more valuable?
What becomes less important?
When should a human step in?

How might we design learning experiences that help students develop critical thinking, creativity and judgement in a world where AI is always available?Start this challenge →

Sprint challenge 02

Assessment Reimagined

Imagine a future where traditional examinations no longer provide confidence that learning has occurred. Universities must develop new approaches to assessing knowledge, capability and human potential.

What should a learner demonstrate?
How could feedback become part of assessment?
What evidence respects privacy?

How might we create meaningful forms of assessment that remain valuable in an AI-enabled world?Start this challenge →

Sprint challenge 03

Lifelong Learning

Imagine a future where people expect to learn continuously throughout their careers and many workers retrain or reskill every five years.

What can happen in twenty minutes?
How can prior experience count?
Who pays for time to learn?

How might we make lifelong learning engaging, accessible and sustainable?Start this challenge →

Sprint challenge 04

The Flexible University

Students learn through universities, employers, industry providers, online platforms and professional communities. Traditional educational boundaries become increasingly blurred.

Who defines a worthwhile outcome?
How is local knowledge recognised?
Who supports a learner when a partnership ends?

How might universities remain relevant and valuable within a distributed learning ecosystem?Start this challenge →

Sprint challenge 05

Learner Wellbeing

Students face increasing uncertainty, information overload and competing personal, professional and academic commitments.

What would make a learner return?
Where does belonging happen?
What could a team test next week?

How might education better support wellbeing, belonging and learner success?Start this challenge →

Sprint challenge 06

Inclusive Futures

Student populations become increasingly diverse in culture, age, ability, background and learning preference.

Who is missing from the room?
What works with low bandwidth?
How can learners choose how to participate?

How might educational experiences become more inclusive, equitable and accessible?Start this challenge →

Extended deck 07

The Overwhelmed Educator

Imagine education ten years from today. Automation has reduced routine tasks but created new demands for checking outputs and supporting learners.

What should stop?
What must remain a human responsibility?
How will workload actually improve?

How might we protect time for the human work of teaching?Start this challenge →

Extended deck 08

The Degree Unbundled

Imagine education ten years from today. Learners assemble portfolios of short credentials from multiple providers instead of one three-year qualification.

What role does a university play?
How do learners demonstrate capability?
How is quality maintained?

How might we make a fragmented learning journey coherent and trusted?Start this challenge →

Extended deck 09

The Global Classroom

Imagine education ten years from today. Students work with international experts and peers across time zones, languages and local contexts.

What opportunities emerge?
What barriers remain?
Whose knowledge shapes the curriculum?

How might we build belonging across a classroom without borders?Start this challenge →

Extended deck 10

Human Skills First

Imagine education ten years from today. AI handles many technical and administrative tasks, while teams struggle with judgement, collaboration and difficult conversations.

Which capabilities become more important?
What experience helps people practise them?
How would learners show growth?

How might we teach and recognise the human capabilities that matter?Start this challenge →

Extended deck 11

The Climate-Ready Campus

Imagine education ten years from today. Extreme weather interrupts campus access and the institution must reduce the environmental impact of learning.

What needs a physical place?
What is the footprint of the digital alternative?
Who is affected when a campus closes?

How might we maintain connection and learning with fewer resources?Start this challenge →

Extended deck 12

The Data Mirror

Imagine education ten years from today. A learner dashboard predicts disengagement, but a student says its picture of them is wrong.

Who can challenge a prediction?
What data is genuinely necessary?
What support is offered without a label?

How might we use learning data while protecting agency and trust?Start this challenge →