This Guide has sought to introduce the practice of foresight to the domain of research infrastructures. It does not claim comprehensiveness, and indeed, we have highlighted several existing guides that can be consulted for more detailed information on matters of organisation and methodology. Instead, the Guide is intended to serve as an appetiser, hopefully stimulating those working with RIs to make use of foresight in their decision-making processes.
If, as a result of reading this Guide, you may now be thinking of organising a foresight exercise of your own, then it is essential to adapt your approach to local contexts and available resources. The latter, notably in the form of available time, funding, and the skills and competences necessary to run an exercise and to implement its recommendations, are often in short supply.

Skills can be acquired, in part, through methods training seminars for the participants of a foresight process, though compe- tences can only be developed through learning-by-doing. But this should not discourage the novice – mistakes and setbacks will be inevitable, but rewards will be far greater for those who try.

As a final point, it is important to bear in mind that foresight processes do not replace existing strategic planning processes, but rather complement them. Policy making and other decision processes can benefit greatly from foresight, as indicated by its growing popularity and embeddedness across many public agencies and large private firms. But it is essential to acknowledge the limits of foresight, lest expectations will be unrealistic and disappointment will take hold.