Future Search/Search Conferences

Both Future Search and Search Conference are large group planning meeting that brings a `whole system' into the room at one time to work on a task focused agenda. They focus on the future, articulating what it means for each stakeholder present and working out how to influence it.

Future Search follows a progression of events approach from the past into the future, whereas Search Conferences are more concerned with finding the best fit between the system and its environment.

A typical Future Search conference lasts 2-3 days with up to 64 people and uses the following steps:

• Focus on the Past. Examine a collective past from three perspectives: the individual the organisation, and society. Find patterns, trends and the direction of movement.
• Map the present in all its messy complexity. Examine the current events, trends and developments outside the organisation that seem to be shaping the future. Understand the strengths and characteristics of the organisation. Generate lists of 'prouds' and 'sorries', the things about which people feel good or bad.
• Focus on the future. Developing ideal future (5-20 years) scenarios describing the state of being there, not the process of getting there. Find common ground and develop a shared vision.
• Reflect, learn and act. Prepare suggested action lists for oneself, the group, and the whole organisation in order to bring closer the future that has been described.

The Search Conference has the following content over 2-3 days:

• Learning about our turbulent environment. Identifying the changes affecting the future of the system and imagining the probable and desirable global future.
• Learning about the system. Developing a picture of the system's functioning, and creating a list of what to keep and change.
• Action planning. taking the strategic objectives for the system and developing implementation plans.

The Benefits of Future Search/Search Conferences

Because people are involved both in describing and discussing the issues and in developing the plan for the future, they are more committed to making the plan work. They feel more comfortable with themselves because they are influencing their own destiny.

The scenarios painted are richer in content than conventional presentations because they emerge out of the diverse contribution of people who reflect the whole system.

The Future Search/Search Conference is more productive than a problem-solving workshop because people are energised to find new solutions to fresh situations than to struggle with limited options to old problems.

Case Study: Water Quality in the Upper Colorado River Basin

Situation

Improving water quality through co-operation between the water company and other stakeholders. Previous history of relationships between the parties was poor, with frequent conflict and litigation.

Action

A planning group was formed from the diverse stakeholders to set objectives and plan the logistics for a conference that would involve representatives from all interests: agricultural, industrial, household and recreational users, local government, other government agencies, water providers, sanitation and public health departments, etc..

Six months later a two day conference was held involving 48 stakeholders. An open ended process led to the discovery of common ground and the opportunity for collaborative action from amongst the diverse interest groups.

Results

The conference exceeded most participant's expectations. A shared vision was created and action plans agreed. People began to feel positive about the future.

Later actions showed that a shift had occurred with the stakeholders continuing to cooperate after the event and leaving behind their previous conflicts. Six months later they were meeting regularly and developing co-operative solutions to their differences.

Colorado River Headwaters Forum

Case Study: Strategic Planning at Xerox

Situation

Morale in Xerox was low in 1995 due to re-organisation and downsizing. There was evidence of conflict of departmental objectives and plans. And there was increasing world-wide competition

Action

The top management team in one of the largest units in Chicago used Search Conferences to develop a shared direction for the unit. Participants for the conference came from across the strata of the unit. They spent 2 days looking at the unit and its interaction with its environment, identifying the key business drivers for the unit for the next 24-36 months and developing action plans to implement these strategic goals.

Results

At a review session 45 days later, the planning groups had already translated the key business drivers into meaningful actions. Some six months later the vice president identified a change from top-down planning dependency in the unit to people `acting like entrepreneurs'.

More information on Future Search

For more information on Future Search, click here to visit the on-line bookstore.

Return to Strategy page

Last modified: June 23, 2007