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Guide

Applying creativity to the scenario process

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Archived
This content was archived in October 2014

About this guide

  • Published: 20 February 2008
  • Updated: 2 October 2012

View full guide as a single page

Contents

Scenario planning
  • The evolution of scenario planning
  • Potential uses
  • Successful scenario planning
  • Scenario sets
  • How to: a step-by-step guide
    • Scoping
    • Trend analysis
    • Building scenarios
    • Generate options
    • Test options
    • Action plan
  • Applying creativity to the scenario process
    • Brainstorming
    • News headlines
    • Thinking the unthinkable
    • Metaphors and stories
    • Sources of inspiration
    • 'Personal lives': profiling target groups
    • Timeline
  • Moving forward
  • Acknowledgements and references

Creating scenarios can involve participants using a mix of storytelling, visualisation and enactment techniques. By fully engaging in the process and, to some extent, living it participants can really begin to understand the consequences of a scenario.

Scenarios should have elements of plausibility in them as well as, perhaps, some level of ‘discomfort’. They can be a development and projection of smaller issues and challenges that occur in the present day.

Scenarios can help to identify and anticipate potential weaknesses and shortcomings in terms of flexibility and ability to react to developments and challenges. Scenario planning can be used to consider potential issues and situations in a context that provides the luxury of careful thought and iterative planning rather than ‘firefighting’ at the point at which a weakness unexpectedly makes itself known.

There are a number of approaches that can be taken and tools that can be used in the process and this section highlights some of our favourites.

Creative Commons attribution information
Image – Library Island, ECDL Workshop

The image above was produced as an output from an ECDL workshop, based around libraries in the digital age. It gives a visual representation of one particular group’s thoughts on a ‘library of the future’ after carrying out the metaphor activity.

By thinking creatively about the topic the group quickly built up an understanding of the library’s requirements and the environment containing them ie, the island informs us that the reading area (book beach) should be relaxed, comfortable and spacious. It can also help you to identify particular risks ie, other institutions poaching your best students (represented by sharks in the image).

  • Brainstorming
  • News headlines
  • Thinking the unthinkable
  • Metaphors and stories
  • Sources of inspiration
  • 'Personal lives': profiling target groups
  • Timeline

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