Where do you get good information about the long-term implications of short-term decisions? This was a hot topic at the Federal Highway Administration‘s Scenario Planning Peer Exchange recent workshop in Norfolk, Virginia. Hillsborough MPO Executive Director Beth Alden was one of two guest speakers. Hillsborough’s story: Imagine alternative scenarios, crunch the numbers, think out of the box about how to tell the story with pictures and graphics, and make it easy for citizens from all walks of life to give feedback. The Atlanta Regional Commission‘s story: Brainstorm a dozen “disruptive” trends – like climate change, automated vehicles, and ridehailing services – and engage people in a game that combines a few trends together for unexpected outcomes. The former is considered a normative scenario planning exercise, while the latter is exploratory.
More information on scenario planning tools, how you can use them in your community, or for technical help.