Better Decisions
Start with Better Questions

Design Futures is a research and advisory firm that partners with education leaders to shape what comes next.

Our Approach

Start with Insight

When moving fast starts to feel risky, that’s where we come in. We help organizations look beneath the surface to understand what’s really shaping outcomes. Thoughtful research, structured sense-making, and clear frames for decision-making so action is grounded in insight, not momentum.

Build Shared Understanding

When perspectives are fragmented and alignment feels hard to reach, that’s where we come in. We bring the right voices to the table to make sense of complexity together. Structured dialogue, synthesis across viewpoints, and shared frames that turn individual insight into collective clarity.

Decide What Comes Next

When the stakes are high and the path forward isn’t obvious, that’s where we come in. We help teams translate insight and alignment into clear decisions. Decision-ready strategies, thoughtful tradeoffs, and plans teams can commit to, so progress moves forward with confidence.

How We Engage Clients

Advisory and Consulting Services

We work directly with clients at moments that matter—helping clarify problems, surface solutions, and shape decisions that guide strategy and culture.

Book an Advising Appointment

Design Workshops & Team Retreats

Our workshops use human-centered design principles to help teams uncover hidden assumptions, align priorities, and move forward together.

Book a Workshop

Keynotes, Panels, and Roundtables

We help audiences large or small make sense of change through stories, frameworks, and insights drawn from real-world leadership experience.

Discuss Your Event

"Brian helped us develop enrollment models and market research that transformed how we serve our higher education clients. His insights into enrollment trends, best practices, and student behavior patterns gave us insights and concrete tools to better demonstrate value and predict outcomes. I'd recommend Brian to any organization that wants to bring real analytical depth to their work."

Seth Odell

Founder & CEO

Kanahoma

"Brian has a rare ability to deliver hard truths in a way that opens minds rather than shutting them down. I've watched him walk into rooms full of skeptics armed with data they didn't want to hear, and by the end, those same people were leaning in and asking how to move forward. Brian doesn't sugarcoat the challenges, but he presents them alongside genuine paths forward. That combination of expertise and honesty builds trust fast."

Beth Gillon

Chief Administrative Officer

Evidence In Motion (EIM)

"I've watched Brian tackle some truly complex organizational challenges over the years. He has an exceptional ability to diagnose problems others miss—seeing how different pieces connect across departments and systems. He brings diverse stakeholders together to build consensus around solutions. His collaborative approach consistently turns complicated situations into clear paths forward."