Thursday 1 August 2013

Be Prepared The SP Way!

I like the methodology of SP. I think as change agents we need to think into the future and identify decisions that we need to make now for that future. I think the fact that it provides a holistic approach helps in the "now for tomorrow" direction. The advantages for me are a plenty. I like the way it is inclusive as that is where the creativity will stem from. By gathering ideas and knowledge through another lens you are able to identify factors that may affect the future whether it be political, economic, social, intellectual, cultural or technical. Overall I am positive about it as I think it takes that next step from where I sat which was strategic planning. Although there is a definite place for that in many cases and context I have been in SP would have been more appropriate and successful. With SP you are taking into account many more possibilities of the future where others such as forecasting do not.

Biggest disadvantage for me is the buy in from stakeholders. You need 100% commitment in the believe of this approach. People involved need to know that the decisions now will prepare us for the future. Creativity and imagination is another disadvantage. Some people just can't do it and certainly if you are in a room with people this may limit your confidence to be open to this form of process. It takes time for the process of scenario planning and again may limit buy in.

For my context SP would enable me to work alongside the people within my ecosystem that hold adoption of technologies and education back. We would be able to work together to factor out scenarios and make decisions now for the future. They would become part of the process which is an extremely important thing in this country even if they do not know what they are doing.

For the online workshop I would like the process to be broken down and that we actively create a scenario for a particular context. I think in groups would be best to share the knowledge and understanding.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Aaron,

    I'm pleased that you like the approach. I'm a passionate scenario planner and can share that this has been a very successful model for my own work in a number of organisations around the world.

    You're absolutely right -- my most successful scenario plans have been those where we have worked together with colleagues, stakeholders and leaders in building the scenario story lines. Ownership builds future success.

    In this open course - -we will get to build our own scenarios. Be creative -- if you can find someone with similar interest to work with you -- that would be great. You could complete a 4 quadrant scenario matrix using a team approach.

    Good read!

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