Today's corporate environment is characterized by an increased uncertainty often referred to as the VUCA age. It is an environment where the future becomes increasingly difficult to anticipate, and staying ahead of the competition involves a long-term view of the future and a strategic approach to sustainable growth, rather than relying on market trends and technical advances. mct can help companies sort through the possible futures to identify plausible desired futures, by envisioning possible scenarios based on signals of changing values. 

Future-focused strategic thinking is foundational to building a sustainable competitive advantage and identifying opportunities earlier. With design thinking and scenario planning in the development of future strategies, companies are able to respond to VUCA with greater flexibility and foresight. 

Step 1.
Collect signals, understand trends, and gain insights

Conduct a kick-off session to confirm project objectives, design the process after organizing existing data, and determine the scope of data collection required. We often use STEEPV (Social, Technological, Environmental, Economic, Political, Values) framework to structure data collection. Project members find the "signals of change" that lead from the present to the future, discussing with each other to, inspiring each other to skillfully scan more widely.  It's important also to be aware that by speculating on the future, we are in a way also creating the future. Even as researchers, we are actors in creating a desired future. By analyzing the theme with the STEEPV framework, we can also identify areas with high social impact.

Step 2.
Create future scenarios

In this conceptual phase, futures are imagined and fleshed out based on logical extension of the data collected. Futures Design is not about confirming predetermined future, or defining a future for risk preparation, but thinking about realistic, discontinuous, exciting, and provocative futures based on seeds of change, to help new ways of looking at things around us, and to provoke constructive debate and conflict within the company.

Step 3.
Determine directions of the future

The "projected future" that is simply an extension of the present is already the focus for most people. With the help of the Future Cone, we can expand our view to also consider "probable futures", "plausible futures", "possible futures", and even "preposterous futures". Within these, we can also consider what our "desired future" would be.

Step 4.
Backcasting

Modern companies that seem to grow by leaps and bounds, such as Google and Tesla, typically have an MTP helping them navigate uncertain environments.  For example, Netflix has an MTP of "entertaining people around the world" and hasbeen able to fully realize this. When Netflix was founded in 1997, going to the video rental store was the norm, but Reed Hastings felt the hassle of renting and returning DVDs was unnecessary, and launched the industry's first home-delivery DVD service. In 2007, the company turned their attention to streaming services. Although internet connections at the time were insufficient, Netflix anticipated not only the arrival of higher-speed connections, but also the implications this would have. With their ability to identify and navigate massive shifts, along with a guiding MTP, Netflix has been able to make powerful moves successfully.