Three Horizons Multi-Actor Mapping
Three Horizons Multi-Actor Mapping expands a standard Three Horizons exercise by incorporating diverse stakeholder perspectives to enrich understanding of future possibilities and inform strategic action. This method helps teams broaden their perception of the forces shaping the future and how they might need to relate to other actors to bring about desired transformation.
Use this method when a team, especially one from a single organization, needs to broaden its perspective on the dynamics shaping the future. It's particularly useful for identifying potential collaborations and competitive pressures from various stakeholders.
Solves: Limited perspective, groupthink, failure to anticipate external forces
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Step 1: Brainstorm a list of potential actors or stakeholders relevant to the scope. (15 minutes)
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Step 2: Facilitate a voting process to select 3-5 actors for mapping, encouraging participants to choose diverse and interesting perspectives. (15 minutes)
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Step 3: Divide participants into breakout groups, assigning each group an actor to map using the Three Horizons framework (H1, H3, H2). Encourage role-playing to fully inhabit the actor's perspective. (45 minutes)
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Step 4: Each group shares their actor's map and the story behind it with the whole group. (30 minutes)
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Step 5: Combine the H2+ and H3 elements from each actor's map onto separate flip charts. Use silent clustering to identify key themes and label them. Transfer these themes back to the main Three Horizons map. (45 minutes)
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Step 6: Develop a narrative that integrates the combined map, exploring how different perspectives might combine or compete in their journey toward the third horizon. (30 minutes)
- Encourage participants to truly embody the perspective of the chosen actor during the mapping process.
- Ensure that all perspectives are given equal weight and consideration during the sharing and synthesis phases.
- Use pre-defined actor profiles instead of brainstorming to save time.
- Incorporate quantitative data or research to support the mapping process.