Category Archives: Strategy

What path to take?

Planning Strategy, Scenario Planninng, Strategic Foresight, Strategic Planning, Strategy

When choosing which path to take, there are often several alternatives.

But how do you choose?

One way is use the tool of scenario planning. A framework for putting the issue of focus into perspective. But not just one perspective, it uses melds of ranges of impact and uncertainty to create four storylines.

The benefit of using this model is that you can see clearly what can happen if certain things occur.

Say you are looking to invest in expanding your manufacturing plant. The output from that plant is used by particular customer segment. In order to be satisfied that there will be a payoff for that investment you’ll need to be convinced that that customer segment will be around for the life of that investment.

So the key question is, what are the drivers of change for that particular customer segment? What is likely to happen to your current, and potential, customers throughout the years ahead?

So, by thinking about a range of events that could happen and the impact if they do, risks and opportunities with respect to that investment can be quantified.

 
For more, visit Dellium Advisory, follow on Twitter, connect using LinkedIn, or review my IT-centric blog.

Can you see the whole picture?

Cognitive Strategy, Cultural Strategy, Futurist, Innovation, Strategic Foresight, Strategy

Most times when looking for a response to a long term problem we approach it with the same frame of view. Its almost as if we perpetuate the problem we are trying to solve because of some type of limitation in our ability to see things from another perspective.

Well, there are frameworks and models to assist us in our thinking.

One such model is based on Ken Wilber’s “Integral Theory”. Where integral implies seeing the whole picture.

In essence Wilber argues that there are four perspectives to any phenomena:

  1. the systems we share (ie, the exterior collective, social)
  2. the beliefs we share (ie. the interior collective, cultural)
  3. the systems that are me (ie, the exterior individual, behaviours)
  4. the beliefs that are me (ie, the interior individual, intentions)

So, how does this apply in practice?

For example, a team seems to continually come up short with respect to its customer service KPI’s. All previous attempts at improving have been focused on training. Well, how about seeing if other actions would work?

How about reflecting upon the intentions of those in the group. How might those be aligned with what you are trying to achieve? What about considering the systems that the people are working with. Are the IT systems that the team are using fit for the job? And what about the culture of the group? What words and metaphors can you use to describe it?

So, by looking at the problem from a different vantage point the keys to unlocking that issue can be found.

 
For more, visit Dellium Advisory, follow on Twitter, connect using LinkedIn, or review my IT-centric blog.

A different perspective of your organisation

Innovation, Strategy

What is the perspective that you have of the organisation you are part of, that business you run, that not-for-profit you give yourself to?

Could you change your view to seeing it as either:

  • an information processing system, or
  • a decision making system, or
  • an interpretation system

If so, what tools will you need to get the best out of the system? What leadership will you need? What strategies will you need to take you into the future?

For see, you take inputs and transform them using the, if you will, intelligence, of the organization.

You take the materials, the information and energy and produce something different.

So, if you are an information processing system:

  • how well are you processing the information?
  • how well have you defined the information?
  • what other information do you need?

And, if you are a decision making system:

  • what decisions are you making, or not making?
  • are the decisions made in a timely manner?
  • what decisions can be outsourced?

Finally, seeing the organisation as an interpretation system implies that:

  • you need to have the correct perspective
  • that the rules of interpretation need to be consistent
  • that the language has to be understandable

What is the perspective that you have of your organization?

For more, visit Dellium Advisory, follow on Twitter, connect using LinkedIn, or review my IT-centric blog.