shell's 'trigger' questions
Shell, long expert in scenario planning, have a series of 'trigger' questions they ask in exploring possible futures.
- What two questions would you most want to ask an oracle?
[uncovers primary uncertainties] - What is a good scenario? A bad one? Plus if you were the oracle, how would you answer your two questions?
- If you could go back 10 years (or however far you are looking ahead) what would have been a useful scenario then?
- What are the most important decisions you face now?
[short term issues have long-term implications] - What constraints do you feel from the company's culture in making your decisions?
And what decisions would fall out differently if these constraints did not exist? - What do you want on your epitaph? (When you leave the company, how do you want people to remember you?)
[these are the values that drive people's motivations]