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What is Vision Search?

A large group process involving 40 to 104 people who work over one day to create and agree a vision for the future.
Visioning processes usually are restricted to senior management teams up to eight people who are able to share and own an agreed future direction.
It is a totally participatory and creative process requiring no advanced preparation.
It is a bottom-up process which allows a large number of people to consider the future and help to create it.
Process was created by Open Futures and has been validated in public organisations.

How Does It Work?

Participants walk through their past which is displayed on a large wall chart with an opportunity to write comments or graffiti.
People move from the past to the present, working with a giant wall mind map to list the current issues and trends. A vote is taken to priorise the most important items.
People are organised into tables of eight people and stay with their team throughout the day.
Each team create its desired future scenario and presents it to the other tables.
After presentations are over, each team translate their scenario into a concise one sentence vision.
Participants vote on the vision they most feel comfortable with and represents the most desirable future state.

What are the Business Applications?

Unique bottom-up input on future direction which otherwise would not be available.
Gets larger numbers of people to think about future direction in a creative and positive way.
Avoids cascading down a future vision and getting people to buy-in, because ownership takes place at the point of voting.
Flexible in shaping audience, allowing external stakeholders and interested parties to participate in framing the future.

What are the Benefits?

Wider view of potential future scenarios.
Buy-in and contribution of large numbers of stakeholders.
Involves large numbers from all strata, such as senior and middle management, workers, customers and shareholders.