Crises, radical changes and uncertainties characterise our present and fuel the idea that the future is something that will descend upon us. We want to counteract this. And what, if not improvisation, helps us to keep our heads in this crazy world?
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Around the same time that I began to explore more intensively the question of how the future can be researched and negotiated, I stumbled upon improvisational theatre. Not with the intention of performing on stage myself (which has nevertheless happened in the meantime), but out of pure curiosity.
The more I performed, the more I enjoyed improvising. From the very beginning, I was impressed by how entire worlds could emerge within a few minutes in the smallest of scenes, only to be transformed into new ones again by small impulses. I became increasingly interested not only in the performance itself, but also in the methodology and attitude behind it.
The power of disruption
Much of this reminded me of systemic work with teams and organisations. There, impulses – or irritations – are used in a targeted manner to set systems in motion. It is rarely possible to anticipate what will trigger an irritation, and therein lies the power: in disruption, in consciously dealing with the unpredictable in order to constantly realign on the basis of what is there.
Because let's be honest: isn't the control we think we have always just an illusion? We can prepare for the future, raise awareness, provide impetus – but much of it eludes our planning and turns out differently than expected.
And therein lies an opportunity above all else. When the future cannot be planned, there is room for creativity. Futures, in the plural. The ability to act is then demonstrated not by sticking to the pre-established, but in the ability to think in scenarios and look for alternatives. The future is not a goal that must be achieved, but a process that can be actively shaped.
How do we explore what does not yet exist?
At Dezentrum, we are always looking for methods that open up new possibilities and invite people to actively engage with future scenarios. We have been working with scenario techniques and speculative design for a long time, both of which are methods that allow us to explore desirable futures.
In working with these methods, I noticed that many similar terms and concepts arise as in improvisation: it's about mental flexibility, about breaking away from fixed ideas and thought patterns, about ambivalence, ambiguity and trust, about spaces of possibility and scenarios, about creating narratives and worlds. We have to listen, adapt and build on what is there.
The longer I think about futures, the more I realise that this thinking often gets in my way. Improvisation has proven to be a helpful method for me to break out of this and unleash my imagination. From the head to the body.
Wait a minute.
What if I'm not alone in this? If improv helps me imagine and negotiate futures, could it be the same for others? Shouldn't we try it out? Can we use improvisation to give more people access to the future? What happens when we play out futures together?
Nothing is certain. Everything is possible.
This led me to discuss combining future thinking and improvisation with Niggi Hégelé from anundpfirsich. The result was the project ‘No Future? – Playing with the Future’.
Over several months, we tested an event format with the aim of bringing the future to the stage. The result is a series of public events at the Theater im Zollhaus, where professional improvisers embody ‘the future’ and act out scenarios. The audience and a futurologist interact with the performers and influence the events – the future becomes malleable.
The events are aimed at a broad public with an interest in culture and society: curious adults of all ages, educators, cultural professionals and advocates of democracy. Over 200 people attended the first two editions.
We are expanding our range!
Now we want to use this experience to work more specifically with companies. In an age of technological disruption, demographic change and climate crisis, the question arises: how can organisations remain fit for the future and capable of action? The synergy of futures literacy and applied improvisation offers exciting opportunities for companies in a rapidly changing world of work.
Together with the improv professionals at anundpfirsich, we are expanding our range of services in 2026: in addition to public evenings, we are creating in-depth formats for organisations and teams in which we combine our proven methods, such as scenario technique or working with speculative design, with improv elements.
The new format is intended as applied futures literacy for decision-makers and professionals: Participants train their spontaneous adaptability and receive ideas on how organisations can remain effective even in uncertain contexts and respond to change in an agile and creative manner.
One thing is important here: every method has its limits. That is precisely why we rely on a combination of structured approaches and open, improvisational work. Not to reduce complexity, but to deal with it.
