About

foresight • design • strategy

our story

Dynamic Foresight began with a conviction that we could bring something new to the field of Futures thinking – with the combination of strategic foresight and design strategy. Strategic foresight excels at defining plausible scenarios based on trends and uncertainties. Design strategy is effective at defining preferred futures, and being able to visualize and communicate futures that do not yet exist. Our team’s expertise in both fields yields a new set of tools in Futures thinking that is capable of bringing more people into organizational transformation.

our team

dr. john austin, PhD

Dr. John Austin is the Dean of the newly formed College of Business and P.D. Merrill Endowed Chair at University of New England. He is an experienced facilitator and an award-winning teacher who has worked with practicing executives on six continents. Prior to joining the faculty at The University of New England, he was a faculty member at Fielding Graduate University, Penn State University and The University of Washington. He has worked with numerous global Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and professional associations developing leaders and leading long-term projects in the areas of change management, strategic foresight, team performance, strategic decision-making, and strategy execution.

Dr. Austin holds a BA in economics from The Johns Hopkins University and a PhD in management from Boston College. He has conducted research on team leadership, organizational change implementation, and strategic decision-making. His research on knowledge-based decision-making teams is widely cited in the academic literature, as is his work on the strategic actions of internal change agents. He is the author of Leading Effective Change: A Primer for the HR Professional published as part of the SHRM Foundation’s Effective Practice Guidelines Series and Unquestioned Brilliance: Navigating a Fundamental Leadership Trap.

justine bassett, MS

Justine Bassett is an experienced changemaker and design leader who has brought strategic and cultural change to businesses and non-profits. She has led innovative transformations in multiple organizations such as the University of New England (UNE) and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. At UNE she led creation of a new Office of Innovation and mentored faculty, staff, students and the wider community in design thinking and innovation as the university’s first Director of Innovation. As a consultant to the Smithsonian, she led a multi-year design engagement that significantly improved the visitor experience. In her early career she worked in international business in Europe and Asia for companies including MCI, Motorola and Bath Iron Works.

Ms. Bassett has also been a business leader at multiple technology start-ups, managing teams in operations and marketing. Ms. Bassett holds a BA from Wellesley College and a MSFS from Georgetown University. Her work has been profiled in the Boston Globe, Downeast Magazine and Maine Magazine. In 2022, she was honored as a Maine Magazine “2022 Mainer of the Year.”

Dr. Austin is one of the best at finding the right equilibrium among instruction, activities, and facilitated discussion. Professor Austin’s ratings, as provided by the participants at the conclusion of the three days of training, are consistently the highest of all the members of the five-person team.

Duane “Andy” Gustafson, Associate Professor of Leadership Communication , Penn State

Dr. Austin is not just an author and speaker; he is a high-energy force that challenges audiences to perceive opportunities in uncertainty. He is a dynamic and knowledgeable facilitator with a unique ability to communicate complex concepts in an accessible manner.

Misty Sprague, Vice President of Professional Services, Momentus Technologies

Justine inspired us to work harder, think bigger, and appreciate the value of good design in everything we do. She left her signature on some of the museum’s most successful activities and programs, and helped us communicate our work more clearly than we ever could have without her.

Colleen Popson, Manager, Experience Design, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

John is that rare partner who brings deep knowledge, extensive experience, and powerhouse credentials, all wrapped up in a persona that is personable, positive and present. I am giving John an A+ but only on the condition that he continues to devote some of his valuable time to working with us!

Helen Senos, Expert Network Manager, Udemy Business