All of the uncertainties facing business today make it more and more difficult to anticipate change. Scenario planning has proven to be a strong tool for crafting more resilient plans. Unfortunately, building long range scenarios is an expensive investment. It can take several weeks to develop the scenarios and it often takes longer to socialize them so they become meaningful tools. For large corporations, the traditional approach to scenario planning can be a powerful tool that units teams and prepares for strategic action. Many firms, however, do not have the time or the culture that would support a lengthy investment in developing alternative futures—those firms also know that a robust process for considering future action in light of uncertainty would be a powerful tool for strategic considerations. For those organizations there is an alternative to traditional scenario planning.
My team has developed scenarios for a number of vertical industries that allow clients to rapidly engage in strategic dialog, problem solving, innovation, risk mitigation and contingency planning. These scenarios immediately put the future in context through consumable narratives that evoke both the logical and the emotional side of business issues.
The program begins when an organization becomes a client. They are provided with a set of scenarios for their industry that includes the narratives and an exploration of the uncertainties facing the industry. A 1 hour mini-course provides an overview of the process, as well as an introduction to the scenarios. Then the fun begins.
Through a series of exercises, we help organizations turn insight into action. These exercises can include:
- Strategic Implications
- Concept Testing
- Idea Generation
- Future Audience/Customer Personas
- Thought Leadership Opportunities
- Competitive Analysis
- Multi-Dimensional SWOT
- Technology planning
- Envisioning
During these exercises your team's engage with issues through the lens of the scenarios. Professional facilitation ensures that you discover new insights about your environment, your markets, your business, your customers and your products or services.
Active Foresight
Although most organizations rapidly abandon their scenarios soon after they have been developed, becoming a client means access to a database of real world events that offer indicators for future opportunities or future catastrophes. This is called Active Foresight. In addition, clients can schedule voice or video consulting sessions, or engage in on-site consulting.
It seems the news points to a different future every day. Isn't it time your put your future in context, and systematically understand the driving forces and uncertainties that will shape your industry?