March 26th, SfAA session “Embracing Ambiguity and Building Organizational Agency through Alternative Futures”

COVID-19, an unexpected catalyst, has challenged the trope of the “fuzzy front end of innovation.” Uncertainty in current times feels increasingly uncomfortable. However, the search for crystal balls, industry experts and easy-button answers fall short of addressing complex social questions and fail to position organizations with agency to determine their own future. Presenters use the Alternative Futures model to explore examples of future scenarios across a variety of industries. Such examples are meant to empower the question-asker to be the idea-maker and solution-architect, able to identify possible futures and discuss the ramifications to their industry, organization and community.