Key Competencies for the Future Imagineer

After 17 years of existence, our program has started a major endeavour to redevelop itself, from curriculum to the organization, aiming at building up on our extensive experience, and the experiences of our alumni. We have many ideas of where it could go, at the same time, we are open to what it can become. In this process, we count on the collaboration of various minds, because as Imagineers we like to practice what we preach.  

Through many interviews held in the second semester of 2023 we gained a lot of insights, and the Innovation Circle was organized to validate these as well as thinking about the next steps moving forward.  

When going through such a change in an educational program, everything about the learning experience should serve the development of the professional competencies required to be an Imagineer. Therefore, reviewing our competency profile is the very first step in this process. Although we have gotten confirmation over and over again that our competency profile is still very relevant to the industry and to our students, we also understand that the world after Covid-19 is quite different than before. We can see that for instance in the workplace, how the increased prevalence of working remotely has impacted the quality of social and professional interaction between colleagues. In this case, there’s a lack of knowledge and skills in the industry to deal with this new context. In addition, the digitalization of personal interaction, collaboration for work or leisure, entertainment as well as socio-political discourse contribute to increasing disconnection and polarization. One offshoot of these developments, artificial intelligence, has quickly become part of our daily lives, offering amazing opportunities, but also serious ethical and political challenges. Cutting through it all, growing concerns about sustainability and attempts to develop policies and solutions are having a knock-on effect on everything, from our governments to our industries and ourselves.  

In this complex tangle of scenarios, where does Imagineering stand? As Imagineers we are used to navigating uncertainty, and we have the skills and tools to spark processes of change through experiences and human-centered design. But is this still enough? Over the years, the image has emerged of the Imagineer as a masked stranger who comes to ignite the transformation and leaves soon thereafter and doesn’t take part in the process of the change itself. On the one hand, this is what we want, since the transition process should centre the client, and the Imagineer does not seek personal glory. On the other hand, there is an unfortunate aspect to this, because it might express that Imagineers don’t have skin in the game. How can we reframe the role of the Imagineer to generate greater impact? Can we guarantee the Imagineering process will lead to a transformation? Do we need to make the uncertain more certain for organizations? Must we start taking more responsibility for what we start? And is ‘transformation’ always what we need to aim for? Is the rush to jump on the innovation and change bandwagon affecting organizations negatively, in such a way that they are losing sight of their identities?  

All of these inquiries have been thoroughly addressed during interviews and the initial round of the Innovation Circle. They revolved around four key themes identified from the initial interviews: Community, Digitalization, Value-Systems, and Sustainability. These themes were carefully explored with the aid of creative methodologies such as World Café and Lego Serious Play. 

The insights gleaned from the Innovation Circle sessions are currently undergoing debriefing, and subsequently, four articles will be produced. These articles will be disseminated among the entire Imagineering community to stimulate further discourse and refinement. Additionally, each article will feature a unique illustration, crafted by Sander Mercx during the event, providing a visual representation of the discussion outcomes. 

We hope you enjoy the reads, and feel free to comment. (These will follow soon.) We would love to hear what you think the future of Imagineering is. 

Be bold and stay curious.  

About the author
Stifani Herpich is an Imagineer and Experience Designer with a rich background in fashion and business innovation. As a consultant and lecturer, she empowers teams through strategic design method, fostering creativity, collaboration and resilience