Strategic planning is an organisation’s process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people. Various analysis techniques can be used in strategic planning. At Clear Horizon we like to use a mix of visual outcomes mapping and appreciative inquiry. But of course we tend to tailor strategic planning very much to the context and purpose of the plan. As well as facilitating the creation of the plan content, we can also help write the plan. We have some excellent writers on our team.

Scenario planning is a strategic planning method that some organisations use to make flexible long-term plans. Scenario planning is especially useful if it includes systems thinking, which recognizes that many factors may combine in complex ways to create sometime surprising futures (due to non-linear feedback loops). The method also allows the inclusion of factors that are difficult to formalize, such as novel insights about the future, deep shifts in values, unprecedented regulations or inventions.

At Clear Horizon we have facilitated several scenario planning events, we favor creating alternative future stories from which to consider alternative strategies and contingencies.