Vision · Anticipate

Backcasting Milestones

A right-to-left milestone chain from the 5-year future back to the first 30-day action.

Why it matters

Converts a distant vision into near-term, testable steps.

Once you have a desired future state to work back from.

Start at the 5-year desired future.
Step back: 3 years (trust level), 18 months (user behaviour), 6 months (system state).
Land on the first 30-day action.
Check each milestone is observable.

“If you cannot describe the user's day in 2030, you cannot backcast.”

The worksheet you fill in, as a template. Use it with your team here, or fill it in online in the workspace.

Project Team Date

TodayThe future you are designing toward

30 days

The first concrete action, and what the system must do for it.

6 months

What's true at 6 months, for the user and the system?

18 months

What's true at 18 months, for the user and the system?

3 years

What's true at 3 years, for the user and the system?

5 years

What's true at 5 years: the future you are designing toward?

app.jcerejo.com · The Anticipatory Design Framework

Fill it in online: start freeFree: one framework project. No card.

A suggestion, never a lock. Use the tools in any order.