Use of Scenario Planning LO18151

John Paul Fullerton (jpf@mail.myriad.net)
Thu, 21 May 1998 11:01:33 +0000

Replying to LO18144 --

> scenario-usage process was inherently reactive, at best helping
> Shell managers respond faster than others to a turbulent business
> environment over which they felt little control. Shell was less
> good at using scenarios to help shape the business into what they
> wanted it to be.

The following is an addition, though possibly not as directly related to
learning organization theory.

Another use of the word "scenario" has to do - not with a possible future
- instead with likely (or actually functional) interactions and services
of a business. There is a close relationship with "use cases" (kinds of
uses) of designing computer programs (object oriented design)

One business application has to do with thinking about services of an
accounting unit - one use case could be managing payroll. Another use case
for accounting could be interaction with other work units in planning
(providing fiscal info). In such a view, each scenario helps in deciding
how businesses should be designed. Each view can be considered directly
without always requiring focus on the total service package. (I could
possibly be wrong :)

One benefit is that the use case prompts thoughts about what is required
for that use. Probably (as another has said) these same methods (or
related methods) have been used through time without calling it use case
or scenario design.

Have a nice day
John Paul Fullerton
jpf@myriad.net

-- 

"John Paul Fullerton" <jpf@mail.myriad.net>

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