Future Intelligence Module 5: Implications

It is not enough to describe trends on the future - you must also know what they mean in order to turn foresight into actionable intelligence.

The process of exploring implications is simple, but all-too-rarely undertaken. It comes down to a few simple questions:

* SO WHAT?
* WHAT IF...?
* WHAT ELSE?

There are multiple techniques to distilling the implications of the forecasts and scenarios you will use in your foresight practice. This module will teach you how to:

* Identify and create useful implications
* Identify and AVOID the vast majority of intellectually-lazy and useless implications that are prevalent
* Integrate basic questions into your systems thinking (Module 2) to be as rigorous as possible in the exploration of threats and opportunities
* Use mind mapping and Futures Wheels to maximize creativity, deepen analysis, and improve participation of a variety of stakeholders

Ultimately, this module will help you answer critical questions for senior leadership:

* Does this mean more competitors are on the way?
* Is regulation going to increase in the near term?
* What will our customer base need in this future?
* Is demand for our product going to actually increase?
* Should we invest more in R&D based on this trend?
* Is our business model safe in the short-term? What about down the road?
* Do we need new distributors, or will we be selling direct?