What knowledge and skills are needed?

Essential knowledge and skills for supporting a collective vision creation process are:

  • Knowledge of methods and techniques for formulating a vision and for stimulating the power of the imagination
  • Knowledge of actor or network analyses and system analyses
  • Sufficient academic knowledge of the problem or the chosen sector or function
  • The ability to think out of the box
  • The ability to recognise original and innovative ideas
  • The ability to identify and interpret historic trends underlying the need for system innovation
  • The ability to make links between a long-term vision and short-term actions

Also important are:

  • The capacity to encourage people, to ask questions and express wishes
  • The ability to listen carefully to the problems, expectations, interests and values of others
  • The ability to keep asking the right questions and to summarise conclusions
  • The ability to get participants to show respect and understanding for each other, to accept that there is no one truth, to see the wider picture.

On this point, see also the cluster ‘Use of Competences'.