Start with the future to make better decisions today

Most organizations plan for the future based on their current situation, existing constraints, and immediate challenges. While this approach may lead to incremental improvements, it often limits the ability to design meaningful transformation and prepare for future disruptions.

Future Back Planning reverses this way of thinking. Instead of starting with today’s limitations, we help organizations define what their business model, value proposition, capabilities, and operating model should look like in five, ten, or even fifteen years. We then work backwards to identify the actions that need to be taken today to make that future a reality.

Who is it for?

This service is designed for organizations that:

• are developing a new strategy or updating their current strategic direction;
• are undertaking business, organizational, or technological transformation;
• want to create a long-term vision for the future of their organization;
• need to prioritize strategic investments and initiatives;
• are seeking new ways to create value for customers and stakeholders;
• want to strengthen resilience to market, technological, and regulatory changes;
• want to connect long-term ambition with practical action.

Scope of support

The scope of work may include:

• assessing the organization’s current situation and key challenges;
• identifying business, technological, social, and environmental trends;
• defining a long-term vision for the organization;
• designing future business models;
• evaluating the resilience and sustainability of the current strategy;
• identifying strategic opportunities and risks;
• designing the future-state operating model;
• developing future scenarios;
• defining strategic transformation objectives;
• creating a roadmap from vision to execution;
• identifying initiatives, programmes, and projects that support transformation.

Project outcomes

The organization receives:

• a shared vision of its future operating model;
• alternative future development scenarios;
• an assessment of key challenges and opportunities;
• a future-state organizational model;
• strategic transformation priorities;
• a roadmap for implementing the vision;
• a portfolio of priority initiatives and programmes;
• a stronger foundation for strategic and investment decisions.

The Synergist approach

We see Future Back Planning as a transformation tool rather than simply a planning process.

We start by defining a future vision of success and then identify the decisions, actions, and organizational changes that need to happen today. This enables organizations to move beyond current constraints and consciously shape their future rather than simply react to it.

The process may incorporate scenario analysis, AI-enabled modelling of future development pathways, and elements of Twin Transformation, bringing together strategy, sustainability, and emerging technologies.

Example areas of application

Future Back Planning can be applied to support:

• organizational transformation;
• the design of new business models;
• corporate strategy development;
• AI and digital transformation programmes;
• sustainability transformation;
• resilience strategy development;
• strategic portfolio planning;
• leadership and capability development programmes.

Experience

Our approach builds on experience in organizational transformation, project portfolio management, strategy development, sustainability, and the use of AI to support decision-making.

The concept has been presented by Ewa Palarczyk at international conferences dedicated to organizational transformation, project management, and the future of business.