Scenario Process to Develop Strategy

Scenarios provide the most effective approach to developing a business strategy. Scenarios are stories about the future, each one modeling a distinct, plausible world. Different courses of action are required to meet different futures.

We consider scenario-based strategy development the most effective approach to developing a business focused information technology strategy. Utilizing scenarios increases our understanding of possible future outcomes.

Scenarios require you to think about the future and to consider what different courses of action you should follow to meet different circumstances. This enables the development of a strategy that does not depend on favourable events or the maintenance of the current business environment, to achieve favourable results.

Scenarios do not pinpoint future events, rather they highlight forces that shape the future. We make these forces visible, and use them as a foil to our thinking. To find that "robust" strategy, several scenarios are explored.

Synthesis of the scenarios and strategies enables the development of a strategy that does not depend on favourable events or the maintenance of the current business environment, to achieve favourable results. Given the impossibility of knowing the future, a good strategy is one that works well across several possible futures.

Business Coaching

Coaching is a recognized tool for enhancing leadership and benefiting organizational effectiveness.

Hornford Associates recommends executive coaching as part of strategy development. One-on-one business coaching with strategy development team members helps them to capitalize on individual strengths, increase personal awareness, and enhance leadership capabilities which will support leaders and teams to function more effectively. Coaching helps facilitate change and builds bridges between individual and organizational goals - critical requirements to the development of an effective strategy.

A common service we provide is the 3D Group's Leadership Navigator survey. The Leadership Navigator provides a 360 Degree assessment focused on specific competencies required for specific job functions.

We normally use the Leadership Navigator for these roles:

  • Senior Executives (CEO, Pres)
  • Executives (EVP, SVP, VP)
  • Corporate Leaders (Dir, Mgr)
  • Individual Contributors 

Integration with Enterprise Architecture

Your Strategy will drive your Enterprise Architecture. In turn your Enterprise Architecture is a key input into your Strategy.

Looking at IT, your IT Strategy follows the direction of the Enterprise Architecture.


Basic Method

  1. Identify the key question
  2. Determine the time frame
  3. Agree to the scope
  4. Identify major stakeholders
  5. Map driving forces
  6. Discover key uncertainties
  7. Push the driving forces to the limit of plausibility
  8. Agree to the extreme edges of possible outcomes
  9. Define the scenarios
  10. Assess the scenarios
    1. Relevant?
    2. Internally consistent?
    3. Archetypical?
    4. Stable outcomes?
  11. Converge on decision guidance scenarios

Hornford Associates & Integritas

We are completing the integration of our operations into Integritas Solutions Inc. Hornford Associates has transformed into Integritas' Architecture Practice. Our Operations and Project Management capabilities have been integrated into Integritas' IT Service Management and Project Management capabilities.