Picture of the future & Strategy
Innovators and specifically Business Design teams need strategic guidance to be effective. Yet, this is often a big challenge in many companies, since "strategy" is often defined as "goals". But this doesn't make any sense. Here is where "Pictures of the future" come into play. Such pictures, along with the leader's narrative, illustrate a desirable future for both customers and the company's organisation in the most tangible way.
Purpose
The purpose of a "Picture of the future" is to support leaders, innovators and Business Design teams "to say 'NO' to things that don't matter and a committed 'YES' to those that do. Not every idea ‘fits’, even if customers love it. There is also a strategic perspective that helps answer the question: "What do we want to become as an organisation?" And Business Design teams should be able to challenge their own ideas with a visual, tangible and inspiring strategic layer as a powerful leadership tool - what we call a "Picture of the future".
Elements
1
Picture of the future
A visual and tangible picture of a desirable future for both customers and the company's organisation as a powerful leadership tool.
2
Management team
Members of the management team of a company (corporate level) or division (business level) who understand the importance of "shared and aligned" strategic guidance for innovative work.
3
Inspiring research
Future-oriented research activities (e.g. interviews with so called lead users) that allow the management team to expand or strengthen their visionary perspective on the market, customers and own capabilities.
4
Strategy
Blueprint of initiatives and projects derived from the future that ensures all energy is targeted towards the aligned Picture of the future.
5
Plans & results
Plans designed from the status quo in the most practical and approachable way to manage the execution of projects, tasks on a daily basis. Plans are not a strategy. They complement each other.
6
Goals & KPIs
Goals for measuring long-term (3-5 years) success regarding the Picture of the future vs. KPIs that unleash its power by supporting the evaluation of short-term (< 6 months) activities.