Yet, the purpose of scenario planning is not to pinpoint future events but to highlight large-scale forces that push the future in different directions. It's about making these forces visible, so that if they do happen, the planner will at least recognize them. It's about helping make better decisions today. He should know. Not only did he help develop the technique back in the 1970s, but he's also a rocket scientist.
Scenario planning begins by identifying the focal issue or decision.
So we begin the process by agreeing on the issue that we want to address. As managers of our own lives, we can do the same exercise. Let's say that our key concern is the quality of life that we'll have in 15 or 20 years and the personal investments that we'll need to make in preparation for the future. The world is populated by consumers rather than citizens. Technology breeds unlimited customized choices.