189 aCtIVIty desIgn 189 Future Scenarios and new Business Models 1 develop a set of future scenarios based on two or more main criteria. 2 describe each scenario with a story that outlines the main elements of the scenario 3 workshop develop one or more appropriate business models for each scenario The goal of combining scenarios with business model innovation efforts is to help your organization prepare for the future. This process engenders meaning- ful discussion about a diffi cult topic, because it forces participants to project themselves into concrete “futures” underpinned by hard (though assumed) facts. When participants describe their business models they must be able to make a clear case for their choices within the context of the specifi c scenario. Scenarios should be developed before the business model workshop begins. The sophistication of the “screenplays” will vary depending on your budget. Keep in mind that once you develop scenarios, they may be usable for other purposes as well. Even simple scenarios help jumpstart creativity and project participants into the future. Ideally you should develop between two and four different scenarios based on two or more criteria in order to run a good business model scenario workshop. Each scenario should be titled and described with a short, specifi c narrative outlining the main elements. Begin the workshop by asking participants to review the scenarios, then develop an appropriate business model for each. If your objective is to maximize a group’s understanding of all the potential futures, you might want everyone to participate in a single group and let them collectively develop different business models for each scenario. If you are more interested in generating a set of very diverse future business models, you might decide to organize participants into different groups that work in parallel on separate solutions for the various scenarios. bmgen_final.indd 189 6/15/10 5:44 PM