Variant Venue: Future scenario

Variant has supported several major public organizations in developing long-term goals and strategies based on foresight and scenario building. We see the value of the experiences gained from working with various sectors and organizations, and we would like to invite you to an exchange of insights across different fields and sectors. At this networking event, we will receive an introduction to the use of foresight methodology, in addition to hearing practical examples of how foresight methodology is applied from Sikt,Trøndelag County Municipality and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.

Agenda

08:00 Breakfast and mingling

08:30 Welcome – Kristin Nesset (Variant)

08:35 Presentations

• Foresight in practice: The strategy loop as a tool in developing the (product) strategy for Sikt and Feide.
  Tonje Evanger (Variant) and Hildegunn Vada (Sikt)
• Strategic foresight: Preparing for multiple possible futures
• Foresight: Viewing the transport system of the future from multiple perspectives (Variant and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration)

09:55 Closing

About the talks

Talk 1:
Sikt: Tonje and Hildegunn share how they used foresight as a means to set a strategic direction for Feide. They talk about the methodology, the practice, the culture-building and how this resulted in a clear, future-oriented strategy with people on board.

Talk 2:
Trøndelag County Authority: Through scenarios, trend analyses and futures workshops, we have challenged our own assumptions and laid the groundwork for a shared understanding of direction, priorities and change. Our experience is that through strategic foresight we acknowledge multiple futures, and increase our understanding that we must prepare ourselves in a way that lets us deliver as well as possible within given constraints. We have therefore become much more aware of the conditions for success, rather than quick fixes.

Talk 3:
Norwegian Public Roads Administration: Malin (Variant) and Zsuzsanna (the Norwegian Public Roads Administration) will show how foresight methods can be used across disciplines within the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, with different outcomes derived from the same scenarios. Malin will demonstrate how future visions were developed for the product strategy for the National Road Database, and Zsuzsanna will show how the same scenarios have provided insight into how urban areas may develop in the future. Wind-tunnel testing sheds light on whether today’s political goals are robust enough, or whether they need adjustment. A common outcome of the work is that the knowledge base is strengthened, and we gain a better understanding of the uncertainties ahead.

☕✨ A simple breakfast and freshly brewed coffee will be served, so feel free to arrive early for a good start to the day!