Futures Specialists Helsinki: How to build a community?

How to build a community? !!

Futures Specialists Helsinki!!

Pauli Komonen & Minna Koskelo Brussels 6.11.2014

Futures Specialists Helsinki: !!• founded 2012 • organizer of LaFutura 2012 in Helsinki • ca. 100 members • monthly meetings !• an informal network coordinated by Minna Koskelo

and Pauli Komonen!!“We are a freewheelin' professional network for people interested in futures thinking, trendspotting and service design.”

What kind of members do we have?!!• Different professions and fields: researchers, service designers,

business developers, ICT professionals, communication specialists, content producers, educators etc.

• All sharing “the futures mindset”: always looking for “what’s next”, scanning the environment, spotting trends, being one step ahead.

• Besides face-to-face meetings we communicate mainly in a private Facebook group.

• Ca. 100 members (30 active, 30 seen occasionally, rest passive or “web only” participants).

Events!!• Monthly meetings hosted by different companies: we

usually start with a presentation about one particular theme and then continue with group work and free discussions.

• Examples of themes: lean methods, femininity as an asset, visualizing futures, knowledge management, games and storytelling.

• Joint events with other networks (eg. Aalto University Women in Business, Service Design Drinks)

• Bigger events like the annual summer camp.

Summer Camps

LaFutura 2012!+ pre-event 2013

Thank you! !!Pauli [email protected] @paulikomonen !Minna [email protected] @MKoskelo !futureshelsinki.com