Future-oriented technology analysis

Future-oriented technology analysis (FTA) or Technology Future Analysis (TFA) is a collective term from futures studies for analyzing future technology and its consequences.^[1]^[2] It includes technology intelligence, technology forecasting, technology roadmapping, technology assessment, and technology foresight.

Definitions

Year	Definition
2013	Future-oriented technology analysis is "an umbrella term to denote several decision-preparatory tools - (technology) foresight, forecasting and technology assessment - and thus it is not a discipline with solid, widely accepted theoretical foundations."^[3]
2004	Technology futures analysis is "any process to produce judgments about emerging technology characteristics, development pathways, and potential impacts of a technology in the future. ... [TFA] encompasses the broad technology foresight and assessment studies of the public sector and the technology forecasting and intelligence studies in private industry."^[4]

^ Filip, F. G.; Dragomirescu, H.; Predescu, R.; Ilie, R. (2004). "IT tools for foresight studies" (PDF). Studies in Informatics and Control (13): 161-168.
^ "Technology futures analysis: Toward integration of the field and new methods". Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 71 (3): 287–303. 1 March 2004. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2003.11.004. ISSN 0040-1625.
^ Cagnin, Cristiano; Havas, Attila; Saritas, Ozcan (1 March 2013). "Future-oriented technology analysis: Its potential to address disruptive transformations". Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 80 (3): 379–385. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2012.10.001. ISSN 0040-1625.
^ "Technology futures analysis: Toward integration of the field and new methods". Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 71 (3): 287–303. 1 March 2004. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2003.11.004. ISSN 0040-1625.