Strategic planning during the most recent Anthropocene
Keywords:
anthropocene, strategic planningAbstract
Due to the constantly increasing rate of change faced during the current Anthropocene traditional approaches to strategic planning are no longer capable of producing the desired results. Most of them depend on predicting future trends and events so that organizations can prepare for and take advantage of them. Plans are made, priorities defined and action steps outlined based on the originally identified objectives. The problem is that the length of time for which we are able to accurately predict the future is shrinking rapidly so that by the time we get around to implementing our decisions they are too frequently obsolete. What we need is a new paradigm that makes organizations capable of learning continually from their environment and adapting rapidly. Interactive Planning is such a paradigm. After scanning the environment to discover what currently exists, instead of defining project priorities the second step in Interactive Planning is to redefine or redesign the organization's function, structure, and key processes in a way that is highly participative, that integrates the organization on all levels, and that encourages continual learning of the entire workforce. A technique frequently used to accomplish this is Idealized Design. In that Interactive Planning is a never ending process it gives organizations a better chance of deal effectively with the Anthropocene.