What are the best methods to communicate scenarios to stakeholders and decision-makers?

2 Why is scenario planning important?

Scenario planning is important because it helps planners and decision-makers to cope with uncertainty and complexity in a dynamic and changing world. Scenario planning can help to avoid surprises, reduce biases, foster innovation, and enhance collaboration and consensus among diverse stakeholders. Scenario planning can also help to align long-term visions and goals with short-term actions and decisions, and to monitor and evaluate the outcomes and impacts of different interventions.

3 How does scenario planning work?

Scenario planning usually involves a series of steps, such as defining the scope and purpose of the exercise, identifying the key drivers and uncertainties of change, developing a set of scenarios, analyzing and comparing the scenarios, and deriving implications and recommendations. Scenario planning can be done in different ways, depending on the context, scale, time horizon, resources, and objectives of the exercise. Some of the common methods and tools for scenario planning include workshops, interviews, surveys, models, simulations, games, narratives, visualizations, and indicators.

5 What are some of the best practices for communicating scenarios?

Communicating scenarios is an essential component of scenario planning, as it can affect the stakeholders' and decision-makers' perception, understanding, and acceptance of the scenarios. To ensure effective communication, it is best to tailor the scenarios to the audience and the purpose. Additionally, multiple formats and media can be used to convey the scenarios. Furthermore, it is important to provide clear and concise information and evidence to support them, as well as highlight the key messages and insights from the scenarios. Finally, inviting feedback and dialogue on the scenarios is recommended.

6 How can scenario planning improve comprehensive planning?

Scenario planning can improve comprehensive planning by providing a structured and participatory way of exploring and evaluating different futures and their implications for a system. This process can help identify and address key challenges and opportunities, enhance the visioning and goal-setting process, inform and guide strategy development, and facilitate the learning and adaptation process for comprehensive planning.

7 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?