AT-00002

Scenario Building is a technique that can be used by individuals or groups (small or large).  It encourages thinking on many levels and therefore can help create strategic plans that address more possibilities in the future.

The technique described below was used with a larger than normal group (42 participants).  Group collaboration made it possible to hear from many stake holders and they had a lot of fun creating plausible scenarios.

Detailed Instructions:
For Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, a large room with seven round tables (one laptop per table) was set up.  Each table was assigned an equal number of participants.  In this case, each of the 42 participants was registered in Meetingworks (sharing workstations) using subgroup id's of "Internal" or "External".  The participants identified (by table) scenario drivers and then each person used Cross Impact to rate the probability and impact of each driver.  This was combined with a lengthy break.  Then, the list of drivers was reduced to a very short list (4).  The tables were arranged to include 10 people at each (and one laptop for data entry).  The participants (by table) then wrote stories using two of the drivers, producing some very plausible scenarios for their future.  One at each table "scribed" the scenarios.  Afterwards, the groups presented their scenarios while the chauffeur used the Organize tool.