Why Scenario Planning?

The scenario planning approach engages diverse organizational perspectives to plan for multiple futures.

To navigate uncertainty, organizations need a nimble framework that helps them anticipate stakeholder reactions and potential impacts associated with major external drivers. Drivers are major forces or trends that could shape or influence the future of your health system.

Unlike traditional planning approaches that assume one likely or desired outcome, scenario planning enables organizations to embrace uncertainty and generate new alternatives for adapting to change. Organizations can create a series of learning themes or strategies that will be appropriate to whatever uncertainties they may face.

At the end of the scenario planning activity, you will have created:

• A list of the most relevant stakeholders for the health-equity related strategic decision(s) that you are considering

• A collection of coordinated internal responses to preempt negative stakeholder reactions or play up positive stakeholder responses

• A shared plan to respond to stakeholder reactions and mitigate anticipated risks

• A shared understanding of organizational and stakeholder risks associated with health equity-related strategic decision-making