Scenario Planning: A Tool for Long-term Strategic

Thinking

Gyan Nyaupane, Ph. DSchool of Community Resource and Development

www.igbp.net

Scenario Planning

A systematic tool for thinking creatively

about possible futures.

What are the drivers of uncertainty?

How will these drivers impact us?

What are the scenarios?

What policies and strategies do we need

to deal with these scenarios?

Stimulates strategic thinking

Challenges status quo

Public Lands in Western States

Trends

Employee Survey

Utopian

Scenario

Doomsday

Scenario

A

C D

B

Implementation Plan

FY17 FY18 FY19

Individual

Adaptive

Traits

Recruitment - recruit for

adaptability

Retention - conduct stay

interviews for key positions

Conduct exit interviews

to understand retention

issues.

Integrate Individual

Adaptive traits into IDP

Re-assess ind & org traits

for changes

Organizationa

l Adaptive

Traits

Knowledge Management -

complete a knowledge

management strategy

Digital Foundation - continue

digitizing; develop a strategy

for other paper-only records

NS 2025 - Findings rollout;

staff engagement

Targeted EAP trainings

on organizational

adaptive traits.

Digital Foundation -

Continue digitizing;

Corporate data strategy

Begin celebrating

experimental projects;

“Northstar Awards”

Begin exploring

technology for

automation and

collaboration

opportunities.

Digital Foundation -

Corporate data

standards implemented

Topic Specific

Initiatives

Management review of

hydrology and sociology

capacity.

Expand social media

capability/use and narratives.

Aide program responses

Continued emphasis on

adaptive management.

Accelerate priority

changes ID’d by units or

programs. Experiments,

rapid prototyping &

evaluation.

Environmental scanning

process with programs

for trend changes.

How we’ll build a learning organization

Activities/ Outputs Outcomes - Impact

•Northstar project support

•Participation in 10x Lab

•Ideas from partners &

employees

•Funding of innovations

Activities

•Recruit & Retain

•Information Management

•Knowledge Management

•Communication strategies

•Program-specific sessions

•10X Lab

•Evaluate Efforts

Outputs:

•A workforce of adaptive

people

•Changes in IDPs & TTOs;

•Innovations and prototypes

•Emphasis on adaptive

behaviors

Short-term:

● Shift behaviors

across population

Long-term:

● Learning

Organization

Impact:

● Improved public

land management

in a dynamic,

complex decade.

Performance Measures

Inputs

Scenario Planning: A Tool for Long-term Strategic

Thinking

Gyan Nyaupane, Ph. Dgyan@asu.edu