Open radar groups: The integration of online communities into open foresight processes

Monitoring a huge number of information sources and scanning the relevant environment are the basis for every foresight process. Since this endeavor is a complex task, it is necessary to find an efficient solution to do so. Based on foresight workshops with 'Radar Groups' - similar to focus groups -, Delphi studies, and netnographies of online communities, we develop a pragmatic foresight process. Since we integrate online communities as information sources in our foresight process, we call this 'open foresight'. This open foresight process focuses upon the topic 'Aviation 2040' and is executed with aviation experts and an online community in two steps. This research setting enabled us to show (1) differences and similarities in future assessments and foresight capabilities between experts and online communities and (2) how to efficiently integrate online communities into foresight processes. Combining insights from experts and community members and, in doing so, moving towards 'Open Radar Groups' seems to be a beneficial way for conducting foresight and enriching companies' knowledge base.