Turn complex and uncertain problems into clear choices.
Specialist foresight expertise with practical government experience. Understand what's happening with systems thinking. Explore what's next with futures thinking.
A decision with no clear answer?
It's often hard to pin down the root causes of a complex policy, strategy or delivery problem, harder still when stakeholders disagree on the diagnosis. It often feels like:
"The problem is hard to define, and not everyone agrees."
"We don't know if today's answers will still work in the uncertain future."
"We always feel like we're playing catch-up."
"We can't keep trying the same solutions, we need a new approach."
Decisions built on historical data or current understanding are fragile against shifting trends: today's fix can soon become tomorrow's failure. We know new issues, new options, and new ways of thinking can feel risky. FAST provides the expertise and experience to make that change in confidence.
We've sat where you sit.
FAST was founded because, after a decade in government, we saw that complex problems required better tools. Our tools are backed by academic foundations, and tailored according to our practical experience. Textbooks are helpful, implementation matters more.
- Our Lead Practitioner (Adam Martin) spent over ten years leading future-facing and complex projects in the UK Government, covering regulation of emerging technology, primary legislation, analysis for green and white papers, cross-government reform, and live crisis response.
- He has applied these tools through an MSc in Systems Thinking in the Public Sector, and a Level 7 Systems Thinking Practitioner apprenticeship, both completed with Distinction.
- We know the government context: how a permanent secretary briefing can make or break a project, how to engage ministers directly, and how immovable deadlines mean pragmatism isn't optional.
What this looks like in practice.
Our lead practitioner oversees every project. These are just a few case studies from their professional experience. Get in touch for many more examples.
Shifting a whole department from reactive response to strategic policy
A new permanent secretary, midway through the pandemic, commissioned her strategy unit to help the department stop firefighting and start building policy for the future.
As methodological lead, Adam guided a team of 20 strategy, policy, and analytical colleagues through horizon scanning, uncertainty mapping, scenario development and capability building. Creating resilient resources for long term impact.
Result: a department equipped to keep making long-term choices after the engagement ended, not just during it.
Turning disagreement into evidence, not an obstacle
Officials aiming to improve school attendance needed to build agreement about where the barriers were, and they needed broad input.
Adam designed and ran systems mapping workshops, starting with internal colleagues, then presenting their map to senior external stakeholders for review and improvement.
Result: gaps in understanding were filled, not just flagged, and disagreement became useful evidence rather than an awkward problem.
Building a foresight ecosystem for a Russell Group university
A university president needed sharper institutional foresight to inform senior decision-making, policy engagement and risk assurance.
Using free tools and existing subscriptions, Adam built a three-tiered horizon-scanning approach, balancing AI automation with expert judgement, integrated into existing processes.
Result: horizon scanning stopped being an information-gathering exercise and started influencing real decisions.
A one-off discussion to a full foresight programme, options available for your specific needs.
Each project is as unique as the problem you bring, whether you need advice, facilitation, training or products, FAST can tailor our approach.
Framing Conversation
A free no-obligation conversation about which methods could help with the issue you're facing.
Workshop Delivery
Professionally designed and delivered exercises, whether with colleagues, stakeholders, or senior decision makers.
Futures Advisory
Access to our expertise and experience, to enable you to deliver. Scoping support, guidance on methods, training, and output feedback, with a frequency and format to suit you.
FAST-Project
When you need both expertise and the resource to match, for projects that require additional capacity.
Scoping, delivery, outcomes. Value at every stage.
We use futures and systems thinking from the very first steps, ensuring we've got the right problem, to inform the rest of our intervention design.
You Bring the Problem
Book a slot to define your goal, identify options for methods, and see if we're the right fit for delivery, even if that turns out to be a "no."
Book a free framing conversationWe develop and deliver
Whether a single workshop or a broader foresight programme, we bring the methods, tools and expertise to reach the agreed outcome. Government experience means submission-ready analysis and direct engagement with stakeholders and decision-makers.
You get outcomes, not just outputs
FAST exists to make impacts, not slide packs. Our re-usable products and capability building continue to support decision making long after the project closes.
A toolkit to match the problem.
Not every project needs every tool. Think of this as the menu we draw from and tailor to what you're facing, not a checklist every engagement runs through.
Clarify Situation
Map the real system, and whose views matter, before jumping to solutions.
Sense Change
Turn signals and trends into evidence you can act on.
Define Uncertainties
Frame the handful of uncertainties that actually matter.
Choose Options
Turn insight into a defensible course of action.
Communicate Insight
Bring people with you, through scenarios, personas and facilitated sessions.
Test Implementation
Stress-test the plan before it meets the real world.
Tell us about the problem you're facing.
You bring the decision and the deadline. We bring the tools and techniques.
Together we work out the next steps.