How can you use scenario planning to identify potential collaborators for your innovation projects?

1 What is scenario planning?

Scenario planning is a method of strategic thinking that involves creating and comparing multiple stories or narratives about how the future might unfold. Each scenario is based on a set of assumptions, drivers, and uncertainties that affect the outcome. Scenario planning helps you to explore the implications of different events, trends, and choices, and to test the robustness and adaptability of your strategies. Scenario planning can also help you to discover new insights, perspectives, and opportunities that you might otherwise overlook.

3 How to use scenario planning for innovation?

Scenario planning is a process that can be adapted to suit specific contexts and objectives. Generally, it involves defining the scope and focus of the exercise, conducting research and analysis, generating and selecting a set of scenarios, evaluating and comparing the scenarios, and identifying and prioritizing potential collaborators. To define the scope, consider the time horizon, key question, and main variables. Research should focus on customer needs, market trends, industry dynamics, technological developments, social issues, and environmental issues. Generate scenarios using matrices, narratives, maps, or simulations. Evaluate them using SWOT analysis, impact analysis, sensitivity analysis or scenario testing. Identify potential collaborators using stakeholder mapping, network analysis, value proposition design or collaboration canvas.

4 How to connect with potential collaborators for innovation?

Once you have identified and prioritized potential collaborators for your innovation projects, it's important to establish and maintain a relationship with them based on mutual trust, respect, and value. Scenario planning can be used to connect with potential collaborators by sharing scenarios and inviting feedback to show that you value their opinions and insights. Explain how your scenarios relate to their goals and challenges, as well as how your innovation ideas and solutions can help them address these issues. Discuss how your scenarios affect the collaboration process and outcomes, including how you can work together to overcome barriers and leverage enablers. Additionally, co-create and co-implement your innovation projects with them, using the scenarios as a reference and guide, to demonstrate your commitment and reliability in delivering results and impact.

5 What are the benefits of using scenario planning for innovation collaboration?

Scenario planning for innovation collaboration can provide you with several benefits, such as enhancing creativity, improving strategic thinking and decision making, increasing resilience and agility, expanding networks and influence, and amplifying value and impact. This type of planning can expose you to different possibilities and perspectives, stimulate your imagination and curiosity, enable you to anticipate and prepare for different futures, equip you with the skills and tools to cope with uncertainty and change, connect you with diverse partners, align your goals with customer needs and preferences, and deliver innovative solutions that create value.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?