Future backwards
The Future, Backwards method was developed as an alternative to scenario planning and is designed to increase the number of perspectives that a group can take both on an understanding of their past, and of the range of possible futures. It can be used to discover what entrained patterns of past perception in an organisation are determining its future. It can be used to compare and contrast different aspirations as to the present and the future. It can be used to generate multiple turning points or decision points for use in the social construction of the Cynefin Framework.
Overview The Future, Backwards method was developed as an alternative to scenario planning and is designed to increase the number of perspectives that a group can take both on an understanding of their past, and of the range of possible futures. It can be used to discover what entrained patterns of past perception in an organisation are determining its future. It can be used to compare and contrast different aspirations as to the present and the future. It can be used to generate multiple turning points or decision points for use in the social construction of the Cynefin Framework.
Future, Backwards can be used as a devise to generate or prompt for anecdotes, to lead into mapping and many other purposes. It is one of the primary workshop tools within Cognitive Edge and one of the most popular. If the instructions are followed it is easy for participants to understand and generates considerable energy within the group. It can be delivered at varying depths of detail and duration, taking from an hour to half a day to complete (obviously with different levels of processing and detail).
Preparation A key early decision is if you are using the method on multiple groups (to compare different outputs) or with one group. It is preferable to do a comparison between groups. Multiple groups do not have to carry out the process on the same day, however they must not see each others' results. Wall space or tables depending on the size of hexies in use should be checked in advance.
Hexies should be used as follows: If you have seven colours • Current State (CS) • Turning points backwards from CS • Heaven • Hell • Turning points backwards from heaven • Turning points backwards from hell • Accidents on hell or heaven pathway
More restricted case • Current state • Turning points backwards from CS, heaven and hell • Heaven & Hell (marked) • Accidents
