Process

Envisioning may be done with a group of 5-25 people and take 2 hours to one day. It is essential that the facilitator 'decontaminates' the three processes of dreaming, realism (action planning to realise dreams), and criticism (checking whether plans are safe and sound). Preventing contamination implies that during brainstorming (about both objectives and action plans) people do not yet comment on feasibility, because this stifles creative (right brain) thinking.

The participants of envisioning need to know or represent the target group from different angles, as well as the staff members of one organisation from different layers or different organisations. Envisioning can give a broad view on strategic options that might (without envisioning) might become too narrow and limited to what is already familiar.

Groundwork

A target group needs (problems and objectives) assessment and external organisation analysis should be conducted prior to (or included in the envisioning). Envisioning can be done at the start of a process, before the formulation of strategic options (that respond to the findings of institutional analysis), but can also be done outside of the strategic orientation context. Envisioning may proceed after formulating a Basic Question for the development of the organisation, but need not be part of a larger organisational development exercise.

Follow-up

If envisioning is done to position a new programme or organisation, the next step is action and operational planning. However, if envisioning is done early in a strategic orientation process, the strategic choices should still be left open until options are matched with organisational strengths and weaknesses (followed by action and operational planning). Operational planning may include assessment of support and resistance to change, and measures to manage the change implementation.

Requirements and limitations

A facilitator should guide the process from envisioning up to the strategic planning to ensure that all original ideas find their place in the process - it is essential that all stakeholders can see that their contributions are incorporated (or openly rejected).

The "envisioning" steps need an open mind of the participants. It is much fun, unless some participants treat the exercise or input of others as childish. The reality check may be done on consensus or otherwise by voting. The dreaming steps can be done by representatives of the stakeholders only, while during the reality check the actual executing agent (management of the organisation, co-ordinators of the planned programme) should also be represented, to assist in identifying the scope of work and the related budget.

Practical references

MDF syllabus "Vision Development", 2004

• Interactieve beleidsvorming, Beukblad nr 1,maart 1998, De Beuk, Hippolytushoef
• Edelenbos, J en Monnikhof R. (1998) Spanning en interactie, een analyse van interactief beleid in locale demokratie. IPP.
• Internet search for 'Walt-Disney strategy', as Walt Disney applied the strict separation of dreaming, realism and criticism to develop film scripts.