What are the most common foresight biases and how can you avoid them?

The process of foresight depends on spotting emerging trends, interpreting the information, and making decisions accordingly. However, human beings often develop cognitive and emotional biases that may influence their decision-making abilities. Regardless of whether one is a business leader, innovation manager, or trend scout, biases influence every step of the foresight process, from spotting emerging trends or emerging market needs to creating strategies and plans. The article lists a few examples, such as information bias and confirmation bias, that plague the scenario process during foresight. Nevertheless, biases can be recognized and overcome to a certain extent. The article suggests practical tips to keep biases in check, such as utilizing multiple sources of data, inviting subject matter experts to evaluate the trends or key uncertainties, and working backward by doing a pre-mortem of the choices and decisions. Additionally, the Stinky Fish method is a metaphor that encourages individuals to share and spot one another's biases constructively.