Scenarios are a challenging and participative way for decision makers to explore alternative future contexts. It is a powerful tool which can be used to test the robustness of today's strategy, develop better policies for the challenges that lie ahead and increase an organisation's chances of success by understanding how to navigate future uncertainties.

Outsights clients use Scenarios and Scenario thinking techniques to achieve varied objectives, including:

• Basis for strategy: Developing strategic plans at different levels of the organisation e.g. future of products, of markets and companies, by making sense of the complexity and uncertainty of the future external environment
• Finding new insights: Exploring Terra Nova, for instance, what are the implications of sustainability, insecurity?
• Resolving conflicts: Helping diverse groups understand each other's perspectives e.g. in labour relations, country-wide scenarios, for new merger/alliance participants

Though based on military principles, there is no one standard method for developing Scenarios. Some prefer to develop Scenarios around pre-defined issues; others choose more intuitive approaches. Scenarios can also take many different forms - from straightforward stories built on future-based research to interactive games - depending on the client's objectives.

Outsights develops Scenarios using an "Outside in" approach: exploring the critical drivers of change in the external world, identifying what these drivers mean for the industry/sector and finally, with the "So what?" question at the top of the agenda, formulating action plans. This highly collaborative approach allows clients to embed the thinking and create ownership of the Scenarios within the organisation - essential if full value is to be achieved. 

Learning from the Future

A bird's eye view of scenario work in private and public sector organisations featuring interviews with leading figures in business, Government and practitioners in the field.

Irdeto: Facing the Future through Scenario Planning

A case study on the use of scenarios, focusing on the work Outsights has been doing with Irdeto, a leading innovator in the digital content protection industry.

Future of the Global Economy to 2030

Four different paths for the future of the global economy in the midst of the present crisis created with input from experts in the banking, public, NGO and development sectors.