Using Futures Methods to Enhance Clarity For Your Direction.

There are a number of futures methodologies that are used but our observation is that the most common methodology is that of scenario planning.  Whilst scenario planning is an effective methodology for creating a strategy document or intention, and are often readily accepted by CEOs and their Boards as effective strategy, from our experience, we find it too mechanistic a methodology when it is used solely on its own, which is most often the case.  There is little room for an outlier scenario particularly when the most popular ‘double-sword’ traditional matrix scenario planning method is used.

 Our experience, with numerous organisations, has been that because futures methodologies effectively enhance clarity around an organisations direction, the visioning process tends to produce more tangible results. Through scanning methods, such as emerging issues analysis our current maps of past, present and future are disturbed by having the external threats and/or opportunities more rigorously examined.  The insights derived from this disturbance improve organisational stability because of the real evidence to the organisations stakeholders that the future has been rigorously previewed and researched.