Strategic decisions are fundamental, directional and future-oriented. Strategic planning is a systematic process that engages and builds support among key stakeholders regarding the priorities that are essential to the mission and vision of the organization. The process involves scanning the external environment, identifying organizational values, creating a vision of the future and creating, affirming or revising the mission. All of these steps are essential components of the strategic planning process and build the foundation for choosing the specific strategic directions and priorities to move the organization forward. To encourage new ways of thinking many organizations engage in scenario building as a part of the strategic planning process.
Scenarios are tools for helping organizations take a long view in a world of great uncertainty.
The scenario visioning process begins with an underlying question or decision and then develops alternate stories about the future. For each story, planners develop a set of strategic implications. . . They are not exact predictions of the future. Scenarios might be created around any one of these factors or any combination of factors. Scenario planning challenges traditional thinking by requiring planners to imagine multiple futures based on a specific trend or factor.