How To Play

Participating in an experiment is as easy as 1-2-3.


1. Learn the scenario.

Watch the short welcome video, and read the short welcome message. Think about the scenario questions for a minute or two, and you’re ready to play!

2. Play a card.

A card is a “micro-forecast” about the future.

Your first card is either “positive imagination” – something good that might happen as a result of the scenario – or “dark imagination” – something not-so-good that might happen as a result of the scenario.

  • If you’re optimistic about the scenario, play one or more positive imagination cards.
  • If you’re pessimistic about the scenario, play one or more dark imagination cards.
  • And if you can picture both positive and dark outcomes, then play one or more of each!

3. Play more cards

Now you can check out the forecasts created by other lab members! Click through the “card stacks” to read forecasts that catch your eye. You can play a card on top of anyone’s forecast.

  • “No way!” If you disagree, play an antagonism card.
  • “Yes! And…” If you agree, play a momentum card.
  • “Yes! But…” If you agree, but if you can imagine the forecast playing out differently in your field or part of the world, play an adaptation card.
  • “Hmmm…” If you have a follow-up question, play an investigation card.

Forecasting tips

Here are some additional tips for writing interesting forecasts and building on each other’s ideas.

Make your best guess… but don’t worry about being “right.” If you think something is possible, share it! Your forecasts don’t have to be probable. They just have to be possible.

Play to your strengths. The Lab is a collaborative community. Everyone is encouraged to draw on their individual expertise. What do you know a lot about? What do you care a lot about? Where do you live? Who do you know? What are you good at? Whoever you are, there are ideas about the future only YOU could have, and there are thoughts only YOU could think. Please share them with us!

Make multiple forecasts. Don’t try to come up with the one “best” forecast. Share all your ideas, one card at a time. Then watch and see which of your ideas gains the most traction as the experiment unfolds!

Push yourself. Feel free to play the first ideas you think of. But after that, try to push your ideas to the extreme. Go beyond the obvious. Try to think something you’ve never thought before!

Track your favorite cards. Every card you play is automatically added to your favorite list. Plus, you can add your other favorite cards to the list, which shows up on your profile page.

Track your favorite players. You can add players to your favorites so their cards are displayed on your dashboard in real-time. Click on a player's name to view their profile page, then click the star to add them to your favorites.

Check back in often to see how the experiment is unfolding. Find out what cards have been played on top of your favorites. Continue the chain reaction…

Scoring and strengths

Strengths, points and achievements are an opportunity for you to measure your own progress in developing future foresight and applying it to your everyday work.

The more experiments you participate in, the more you’ll increase your individual forecasting strengths and the more forecasting points you’ll earn. You can even unlock “achievements”, like completing a trilogy of experiments or contributing the most controversial micro-forecast to an experiment.

Find out how points and strengths are scored here.

Community guidelines

Don't get into forecast wars. We will frequently disagree with each other's ideas and forecasts! But we can still treat each other with respect. If you disagree, make your best case, and then move on to other ideas.

Stay focused. We will remove content that is completely unrelated to the experiment.