This session will focus on practical approaches for improving the effectiveness of futures thinking and analysis, which is crucial if society is to deal with the systems-level challenges we are facing – pandemics, climate change and biodiversity loss, for example. Integrated system-level collaborative approaches are essential. Firstly, design thinking is impacting on many fields, including foresight, providing systematic human-centred problemsolving techniques and processes. Secondly, visually-rich methods such as scenario planning and roadmapping can be helpfully combined in toolkit design for futures analysis and strategic planning. In this session the academics involved will present and discuss their research, and the benefits of collaboration in this field.