Backcasting begins by imagining a desirable future, then working backwards to identify the steps needed to get there. It shifts the perspective from: > What will happen?
to: > What could we create?
In contrast to Forecasting, which extends from the present, backcasting is goal-driven. It is often used in sustainability planning and innovation strategies, where the future vision shapes the present agenda.
Backcasting encourages participants to ask: > What must change today to make this vision possible tomorrow?