Scenario planning: strategic interviews and conversations

Abstract

The future cannot be measured. foresight is largely a matter of conjecture, and at the heart of conjecture lies conversation. Organizations are essentially networks of personal interconnections based on conversation. Thus, in enabling complex adaptive organizations to look ahead, conversation, in one form or another, becomes a key component of strategic planning. This article describes the range of interview methods from structured to more active and creative methods and the emergence of “the strategic conversation”. The use of this technique is illustrated by examples.

The financial system matters: future perspectives and scenarios for a sustainable future

“…After this, possible developments for all key factors-so-called 'future projections' have been identified. This can done by the whole scenario team or by a core team with the support of different types of interviews [17]. The aim is not to find only one projection, which is most likely to take place, but to also find alternative and plausible images that can be used to enable the scenarios to utterly describe the 'window of opportunity'.…”

Using an adaptive scenarios approach to establish strategies for tomorrow's workplace

“…Strategic conversations -A strategic conversation is an in-depth dialogue that allows for two-way participation, especially on the part of the interviewer, who takes a more active role than is normally permitted during traditional interview approaches (Ratcliffe, 2002b). In this study, the interviewer conducted strategic conversations with key actors in the field of facilities management and workplace provision to generate qualitative opinion-based data on the areas of strategic importance in the workplace.…”

Challenges for corporate foresight: towards strategic prospective through scenario thinking

“…There are many, interrelated, reasons for conducting strategic conversations, which have usefully been summarised as follows [Ratcliffe, 2002]:…”